United Through Two Worlds
by zer0c00l
Summary: A young man, bored with life and the world, is suddenly united with a being that by all physical laws shouldn't exist. A pokemon.
1. Chapter 1

The sun set on the old cottage, the old wood creaking as it dismissed the sun and the wheat field swaying in a dance to the stars. White crackled paint and an old, ash filled fireplace was all to greet any wandering eyes. It was an old house, a simple house. And in it lived a simple man; he wanted nothing more out of life than peace and quiet, being able to enjoy the tranquillity of the world without all the advertisements and picture perfect people being thrust in your face. Said man was often up hours before dawn, away from the house and down by the creak that fed the fields irrigation. In his hands a brush, and on the bank, a canvas. Although the irrigation system siphoned from the creak, it never detached from its beauty. But the man saw none of this great beauty, as if the colour was drained from the world around him. Being an artist and long time sufferer of clinical depression had driven him away from such things, even the label of 'clinically depressed' clung to him, sounding like something that exiled him from the rest of the 'normally depressed' people. That was why we lived here, it get away from all of it, all of the lies in the streets, in the shops, in the people. It had all taken a toll on his psyche, depriving him of a passion he once had for the finer things in life. Even the simple things seemed to be wisping away fast these days. He sighed before packing away the paints, the stand, and the canvas. He couldn't continue today, maybe one day he could see its beauty again, but not today.

Walking back to the house he reflected, as he often did. This was his life, the life of a hermit, an outcast. He had everything he needed and everything he wanted. So why did he feel so damn empty inside! He felt like there was something missing in this life, yet he couldn't figure out for the likes of him what. He internally chuckled, no one his age would be worrying about such thing, they would be out in the world, exploring and partying, but not him. His rose coloured view of the world had been lost long ago. He was always ahead of his peers in mental age, but he felt it as if it were physical age. He pondered about things no one else did, he acted like no one else acted, he seemed wiser and more aged than anyone else he knew. He had figured out countless puzzles and philosophies but he could never answer that one nagging question. Who am I?

Shaking the thoughts from his head he climbed the steps of his rustic home, another night all to himself in the darkness of night and glow of the fire awaited.

As he entered the house again, door creaking to meet him, he felt slightly more at ease. The sun reflecting off his golden brown hair made small patterns on the floor as he walked. Hair cut at a medium length curled upwards, chin tapered to a small defined point, clothes hanging limply on his frame. One might think him a student or a beggar, an odd combination, bringing a cruel irony with it. Being 22 years of age, he was still in his prime, but felt years ahead of himself. Setting the canvas back in the corner, he slowly sunk into his couch. Eyeing the walls many cracks and dents he had meant to patch up, he remembered when he first brought this place. It was an auction, the old folk who owned it had now moved to a retirement home due to their condition. The house was dilapidated and described as a "Home makeover dream", but the bidding never reached past a hundred thousand. He had bided eighty-nine on the house and was the only one who had bid. All the others turned their nose up at the place, but the old coupled smiled at the meagre amount he had placed. They thanked him for bidding more than they thought they'd get and told him to take care of the place, all those memories they had of their former lives were fading but they would always know the house on the river front. That's what they told him, and be found a small amount of closure in knowing he was caring for the house they loved.

He lit the fire and settled in for a good book from his small library. Currently he was reading from the Dan Brown series, finding the plot twists intriguing, they made him think and ponder about the characters lives outside the text. The fire flickered in the darkness of the house, casting a soft glow on everything. It heated the place well, and such a thing was needed when the house was without insulation. He wondered idly, how the old couple had survived the cold nights the house endured. There was another fire place in the bedroom so that was probably it. Where the fire light ended, the star light began, white, arcane light pouring from the lights in the sky, making for quite the sight over the wheat fields.

As he read through the pages, he let his mind wander, forgetting the story he was involved in and instead, shifting through his problems. He sold his paintings for money and made enough to live off, but not much extra and because of this, his house was full of things he had brought at yard sales and small second hand shops. Little trinkets hung on the walls of the house from his shop browsing; many had no significance but to add a little charm to the place. But he had a few things that were of sentimental value on the walls. Directly over the fire was his diploma in the fine arts, signed by his professor, and scrawled in his own handwriting, his name. Michael.. In reality, Wolfwood wasn't his real last name, but he had changed it to sever the last of his ties with the world. Not even his name held interest in him enough to keep it. As his mind wandered over these things, he began to slowly drift off into a sleep, as he often did in front of the warm fire.

But before the bliss of sleep captured him, a loud bang was heard, like a gun going off. He was annoyed but dismissed it as another local firing at birds or something. He settled back in to sleep, but yet another bang went off. Either it was a war or some very persistent birds. Before he could finish his thought, another bang erupted. He dragged himself from the comfort of the couch and walked to his door; he opened it and exited onto the porch.

"Whoever's crazy enough to be shooting at this time of night must be paranoid or bored" he muttered "or both". He scanned the world for any sign of light. A flash appeared to his right; he instinctively turned and yelled "Shut youself up over there!"

But what he saw was definitely not a smoking gun or angry farmer. Arches of electricity were flying around the wheat field, vaporising anything they touched. Michael shielded his eyes from the light as the arches became more intense and wind whipped the trees around the field. There was no indication of where it was coming from, it was just appearing instantly. Soon enough though, a small warp occurred in the centre of the phenomenon, it seemed like reality itself was bulging out of the air. The distortion retreated but quickly let out a shockwave, forcing Michael back a step. After that, the arches seized and silence came once again. A few small fires were scattered around the area, but Michael ran over and quickly stomped them out before they could grow. He didn't know what the hell had just happened, but there might be something here that could give a clue. Electrical storms and distortions don't just happen randomly; something must have snapped or malfunctioned on something else. He walked slowly through the smouldering wheat, looking for god knows what. The only thing he could guess could create something like this was a snapped power line, but the power lines ran from his house to the road, so that ruled that out. He felt his foot graze something to the side of him; slowly he peeled away the wheat strands to see what he had hit.

But as soon as he saw what it was, he quickly backed away with a small gasp. He panted and waved his hand in front of himself a few times to test his vision, making sure this was real, Even slapping himself to test if it was a dream. But nothing, this was real, and he now had a sore cheek. He peeled away the grass again and this time, studied what he saw.

White skin with symmetrical patches of green, a rosebud like object speared though the navel, white and green dress complimenting the skin. Hair curled over a white, rounded face, seemly asleep in a serene dream. Michael may have been withdrawn from society but he knew what this was. This was a freaking Pokémon! A Gardevior to be exact. A thousand thoughts ran through his mind at once, how, what, when, why, which. He had had a short period playing the game before, but it was fiction! A story thought up from the mind of Japanese guys head! This was impossible, but it was happening. After sitting for nearly an hour in wonder and thought, he sighed. He would have to think this over when he was more awake, and less in shock. His eyes turned back to the slumbering creature, he couldn't leave it here either, it'd probably wander off and get killed somehow. He walked over and picked the creature up. Telling from the presence of breasts and remembering the game, she was obviously female. She didn't stir as he hoisted her up in his arms, cradling her head, he didn't even know if she could speak. But if she did, there would be a lot of questions asked.

He carried her back to the house and slowly placed her on his bed, pulling the covers up before gazing over her again. This shouldn't be possible, but somehow it is. 

"If this really is a dream, I'll know soon enough" He said to himself as he wandered back down to the living room and lay on the couch, falling into a rough and fitful sleep.


	2. Chapter 2

Being the ever early riser, Michael was up well before dawn. Most people would groan at the idea of waking up at half past five in the morning, but Michael relished the thought of being able to find some interesting scenery to draw before the dawn broke. He was already dressed and was fetching his supplies from around house, this meant wherever he had left them last. As he grabbed his things and made for the door, something pulled at his mind, a niggling feeling at the back of his head that made him think he'd forgotten something. When he finally remembered, his eyes widened and he raced up the stairs, dropping his things in the process. As he reached the door of his bedroom, he stopped to calm himself for a moment. If last night's events were some lonely and crazy dream, he'd feel even crazier when he saw the room to be empty. Taking a few deep breaths, he slowly creaked the door of the room open. A first he saw nothing, his draws, desk and mirror next to the bed. But as his eyes fell on the bed, he once again gasped and staggered backwards. Opening the door fully, he found the Pokémon still asleep in the bed. She had obviously shifted during the night due to the covers being skewed, so hallucinations were out. He crept into the room and circled the bed, trying to comprehend the creature and take in her features again. White skin, a green dress and three small horn like things on the sides of her face. He jumped back in fright when she stirred, but didn't wake.

"Okay, get a hold of yourself for a minute" Michael thought to himself franticly "If she comes to, I'll ask what happened, yeah, simple enough..."

Despite him believing there was nothing to be afraid of, his thoughts were still frantic and his actions shaky. I mean, he had found a sentient species that wasn't even of this world, just dropped in his lap unannounced. Any other person would have called the police and freaked out, but with years of being alone, Michael welcomed the thought of someone else around. Even if it was a bit...unnerving. He had given up on the human race for companionship long ago, but maybe a Pokémon would have a different outlook on life, he had seen the cartoons and the merchandise, thinking them rather childish, but they were fantasy.

"This...this is real" he muttered. A small rustling behind him made him bolt upright. He, for the third time, tried to calm himself as he turned to face the creature. But as he turned, he reeled backwards as he saw two large red eyes staring at him quizzically, he groaned as he felt his head hit the wall. She was leaning on the back of the bed, still observing him as he rose to his feet again.

"Uh..." he stuttered, she still looked at him without a change in her expression. Turning from him, she looked out the window, starring at the now reddened sky.

"Um...do you..." Michael was cut off as she vanished, just vanished, into thin air. Michael stood dumbly for a second before walking over to the window. Expecting to see her gone, he instead saw her lying on the dirt ground at the base of the house, a pained look on her face. He rushed down the stairs and bolted through the door, round the corner where she was, he found her standing again. She disappeared as soon as she saw him but only briefly before reappearing a few feet away. She was again prone on the dusty ground. Michael ran up to her, but she made no attempts to get away this time.

"hey, hey, I'm not going to hurt you" Michael said in his most calming tone possible, he slung one of her arms over his shoulder and helped her up. "You're in no shape to walk, let alone...teleport". She seemed to understand as her featured softened from the pain she was feeling. As he carried her back into the house, he wondered if she knew where she even was. This wasn't her world anymore; she couldn't find any familiar places or people.

"Can you understand me?" He asked "maybe even...speak?" She still remained silent but reached one hand up to his forehead. Before he asked what she was doing, she gently tapped his head.

"Now I can" she said, though she didn't really speak, her words echoed through his mind. Her soft voice was multi-layered, as if double tracked on an old phonograph. Michael didn't say anymore until she settled back onto the bed, sinking into the mattress and easing her posture.

"Stay here for a minute, I'm going to get you something to eat" Michael said, leaving before she could answer. In reality it was just an excuse to get away and think for a while. He made his way to the kitchen but as he opened the pantry, he realised he didn't know what Pokémon eat. Mentally slapping himself, he scanned the kitchen and fridge for something that would do. In the end, he settled on simple fruit. Sliced apple, orange, a few berries and some grapes.

"It couldn't hurt, Pokémon eat berries anyway" he thought as he climbed the stairs, food perched on a small wooden tray, laughing to himself that video game trivia now had some use in his life. She entered the room and set the tray down on the bedside table. She didn't move, she was starring out the window again, lost in thought this time. His voice brought her back to reality.

"I don't know what Pokémon eat, all I could be sure of are some fruits" he said sheepishly, still slightly uncomfortable being with her. She picked up one of the apple slices and took at bite, seeming to like the taste as she ate the rest of it and moved on to another. Michael pulled the chair from his desk and sat down beside the bed. Sighing before he began to speak

"Do you know where you are?" He asked, she looked at him with slight confusion.

"I don't know the area, but I'm in Hoenn, right?" She said, still confused

"You're not in Hoenn" Michael said "In fact I'm not even sure how you got here", she grew uneasy as he said this. He looked downwards slightly.

"I suppose I should start from the beginning right? Please try not to be too shocked" he said, although she probably would be quite shocked to find out she was in a different world. "You're not in your own world anymore, you're on a planet known as earth; in a country know as the United States of America. My name is Michael and this town is called Blue Creek, I live here alone. We're a fair way out from the city, but back to you, I found you in the wheat field outside last night. Some weird things were happening, lightning, wind and loud noises. You were right in the middle of it and were unconscious when I found you."

"What do you mean, not in my own world?" she asked, her voice quavering in his head, she felt as if he could feel her emotions being channelled into him. She was slightly scared and anxious.

"I mean, Pokémon don't exist in this world, they never have. Pokémon are nothing but a video game, made up by some foreign game designers. No Hoenn, no Kanto, no trainers." He finished as he pulled an old game boy advance from his desk. Flipping the switch, the tinny starting music played as he showed her the screen. She precariously reached out and took the device, looking into the screen with slight horror. She browsed through the menus and found the saved game. Looking at the world she once knew, reduced to nothing but pixels and data was too much. She dropped the device and put her hands on her head. No sound came from her but Michael was getting a headache from all the mental feedback he was receiving. Her thoughts and feelings flooded into his head like a broken dam. Fear, sorrow, slight anger, he even thought he felt a hint of happiness. But as the thoughts began to slow down, she sobbed. Her sobs echoed through the old house, Michael felt strange, hearing a voice that wasn't his own being reflected by the old wooden walls. Welcoming in a way, but not the sort of welcome he wanted as tears ran from her eyes. He slowly reached over and put a hand on her small shoulder, the only comfort he could provide really, what could he say to someone who had lost so much?

"I don't know how you got here, but I can try find out" He said "maybe I can even get you back home" although she still sobbed, hope registered in her thoughts. A good thing. But he didn't even know where to start, you can't ask someone what to do when a Pokémon suddenly appears in your home.

"I'm going to go try figure something out, try to get some rest" He said as he got up and walked away

"Melody" her voice echoed

"What?" Michael said as he turned back

"It's my name, I decided on it when I formed a metal link" She said with a sad happiness in her voice.

"Sure thing" Michael said, perplexed by the odd name choice but finding it interesting, something else to ponder on. It fitted her voice, a doubled tracked melody.

For the rest of the day Michael was either watching television if, by chance, something else had happened he could link this event to. When that failed, he turned to his trusty, but rusty, old computer. He kept the thing in an old storage cupboard, trying to keep himself more focused on life than the internet. But even after slowly browsing through pages of cult groups and conspiracy theories, he found nothing on this sort of phenomenon. Inter-dimensional creatures were ripe for conversation but it was all just stories from people around the world of impossible things appearing, but after what Michael had seen, nothing seemed impossible anymore. He sent emails off left and right, hoping to hit something that could explain this. But even the sites he received replies from were all just trash and links to various mental facilities. He sighed as he still browsed though the links and ads he found. Melody, as she now called herself, had been asleep for the rest of the morning. Not surprising if you had the kind of day she had. Waking up in a strange place and being told you're now in a completely different world were your kind doesn't exist. Michael winced as he regretted saying it so bluntly. He sighed as he shut off the computer and walked back to his lounge. He was surprised to find melody sitting on the couch; she turned to him as he came in.

"Did you find anything?" she asked

"Nothing yet, but I'll keep trying" Michael said as she walked past, grabbing his coat from the hangar on the way "I'm going to take a walk, you don't mind, do you?" She slightly stuttered as she tried to say something

"can...can I come with you?" She asked, slight hope in her tone. Michael thought about it, he didn't want to keep her caged up in here like a test subject, and he was so far out in the country that he was sure no one would notice her.

"Sure, I usually take a walk around this time, never had company though" He said. She rose from the couch, seemly gliding across the floor. As they descended the porch steps, he noticed she was actually floating, inches above the ground. As they walked, she surveyed everything she could, he didn't know what the Pokémon world was like but he assumed it wasn't much different from this one, at least that was how it was portrayed anyway. He decided to ask, knowing he would likely never see it with his own eyes.

"So what's your world like?" He said, trying to sound like it was just a casual conversation one would have. He didn't want her to get emotional again, understandable as it was.

"A lot like this one, but...more lively" she said, looking over the electrical poles that lined the dusty road. "Trainers would be camping all over the place, and Pokémon were active wherever they weren't. But everything is so deserted here" a small downcast in her voice.

"I prefer it deserted, myself, crowded places are a bane to me" Michael said "It just makes me depressed when I'm around other people"

"Whys that?" she probed, trying to get a clearer answer without giving away her intent.

"It's a long story" Michael said "one I don't like to repeat". Melody picked up the sorrow in his voice. As they turned off the road and onto an old beaten track through the field, she attempted to explore his mind, sifting through various memories. But they were all fuzzy, as if he was trying to block them, making it hard for even her, a psychic type, to view them without his knowing.

"So why do you live out here?" she asked, essentially repeating her question.

"I said, I don't like the city, or interaction with other people" Michael answered, preferring not to be drilled with the same queries.

"There has to be a good reason to that" she said "I can't even read your emotions"

"It's probably better that way" He said, letting his defence slip for a second, giving melody some time to catch a glimpse of his emotions. She saw anger, regret, but most of all, an overwhelming sadness and loneliness. She felt it despite only seeing it for a second; she stumbled at the influx of emotion. When she regained her composure, she asked him

"Why is that you act so sad?" Michael was taken aback by this, he tried not to show many feelings on the outside, purposefully making himself hard to read.

"What makes you think I act like that?" he said, trying to veer off topic or at least stall her into dismissing the question, he wasn't so fortunate.

"The way you act, you don't seem to be enjoying this walk" She said. Many emotions were streaming from him right now, making it hard to find every one, but joy or cheerfulness was not among them."What is wrong? "She asked, stopping to let him answer

"God dammit..." he muttered, voice growing gruffer "Why the hell does everyone ask me that", slightly louder this time.

"Maybe I can help?" she asked "I'm sure there's..." She was cut off as he turned to her

"Stay the hell out of my mind..." His voice grew in volume as his teeth gnashed "and stay the hell out of my life!" he yelled, anger flowing through his mind, reeling into hers. Anger, anger and sadness, the basest of all emotions one could project, the ones that cut like a knife.

"Why the fuck...do you care who I am? Stay away from my mind!" She had never felt such raw emotion, it was enough to force her back a few steps. He turned and sprinted down the path, not stopping until his lungs burned from lack of air and every breath he drew became like scalding acid. He leaned against a tree as he let his anger leave him and his sorrow return, breath coming in fast ragged gasps. Making an effort, he pushed himself off of the tree, walking off the side of the beaten dirt path and down to the side of the creek he had painted not but a day ago. He sat there on the dirty ground and ran his hand over his face, coming back wet with tears. He hadn't realised until this point that he was weeping, the crystal droplets now becoming like salt in his eyes. The anger had just taken over, raped his mind and done away with him on the side of this godforsaken creek..

He sat there for an hour, not moving, just looking out over the vista he often visited. This place, this one place that was his own, a place no one ever intruded. It was where he could make his own world in the sticks and stones of the dusty shore, a world for him alone. He didn't notice Melody behind him until she spoke.

"Michael?" she called, hints of fear showing in her voice, afraid he may lash out again. He didn't respond but she continued "I-I'm sorry if...if I...was too curious"

"That's fine, I shouldn't have overreacted." Michael said, wincing at the thought of his screaming "But the past is painful, I don't like to remember it"

Melody came and stood beside him, offering some closure with her company. Michael was a man used to being alone. He dealt with his problems alone and had few problems with it, and although the company of another was something he was not used to, he still welcomed a comforting presence.

"We psychic Pokémon have a phrase we often use, 'forget the past, observe the present, but keep minds to the future'" She said, that was a phrase she was taught as a young ralts, and all psychics knew it. It was part of their life, being partly clairvoyant, and it was a gift they did not squander. "Maybe one day you could forget the past and be happy living like this"

She knew more about his emotions than any human, yet she had known him for only a day; Michael smiled softly at the absurdity, a creature of another world having a better connection with him than one of his own. Truly this was something he would have been the first to experience.

"Thanks, Melody" He said, sensing happiness that he used her chosen name, a signal of intimacy not usually reserved for Pokémon "Maybe I can tell you one day, but for now, I'm going to keep looking for a way to get you back home"

Melody sighed to herself as she too, watched the beautiful scene on the creek. Dusk sunlight dancing over the water as it flowed over smooth stones, worn from the years of bearing the weight. The only other sounds being those rusting trees and lone crickets, all blending into perfect natural harmony that struck a chord on her heart.

"Maybe this world won't be so bad after all" She thought to herself, staring into the unspoiled beauty that matched her own world.


	3. Chapter 3

The next day was slightly less awkward for both Michael and Melody. Despite the outburst the previous evening, things had calmed down and the idea of living with a Pokémon in house seemed less unusual. Even though he still had no idea how she got here and less of an idea of how to get her back, he continued searching through mountains of info for just the slightest hint of a clue. It seemed hopeless, like a totally random act of god got her here. If it was just random, moved and acted by some unseen force, then it probably was hopeless. But there was always that little light to grasp onto and, for Melody; it was all the hope she had to return to her world. Though this world seemed strange to her, it seemed not so different from her own. It was like taking the world someone knows and loves, then replacing one thing with something else. The whole thing seems to change then, even though very little has actually changed. But Michael shook these thoughts away for the tenth time since he sat down. He couldn't help but ponder, it was his nature and so far, it had done him little good in life. A slight yelp from the kitchen made him jump a little, he still wasn't completely used to having someone else in the house. Sighing, he left his small wooden chair and the computer, walking in the direction of the sound. When he came to the kitchen he found Melody slightly cradling her hand, a small trail of blood on her fingers. It didn't take much to figure that she had cut herself while trying to prepare some fruit.

"If you're hungry, you could have just said so" Michael said, he moved her hand to find a small cut on her finger "that'll heal, just needs a band aid"

"I didn't want to bother you" she said, still slightly in pain

"You're my guest; It'd be more bothersome to me if I didn't help" Michael dabbed a small cotton bud laced with disinfectant across the wound, wiping away the blood and cleaning it at the same time. Placing the band aid across it and tapering it down. She was more relaxed with him holding her hand. She felt...safe.

"Thank you" she said. As Michael stood back up, he caught a glimpse of her eyes. Deep ruby red only being broken by a large black pupil, but he thought he saw something else. A spark? A flicker? Something was there, behind those eyes, drawing him deeper. He didn't realise how long he stared, but then again, neither did Melody. She was also transfixed on his eyes. A lighter hazel colour that seemed warm and welcoming, but grey slipped around the edges. A cold gray that barred the outside from it, but she saw past that. A sudden beeping broke their trance; they both looked away after realising what had happened.

"I...think there's some new email" Michael said awkwardly as he quickly exited the room. When he sat back down in front of the screen, he tried to busy himself to take that moment off his mind. He succeeded when he read the email title.

_From: .com_

_Subject: Re: Inter-dimensional Creature Found_

_Good afternoon (or whatever time you prefer)_

_I have taken an interest in your "finding" after reading the message you left on the forums. You talk of a creature that came from the middle of a storm. I happen to be a specialist in dimensional quantum super-theory and am therefore intrigued by your creature you have found. I would like to investigate further if it is acceptable with you. I wish to study the area the creature appeared, the nature of your testimony, the creature itself (if possible to find it or some evidence of it). If my findings are an advancement in the field of my research, I shall credit you with such findings. If not, you will be added to the growing list of prank artists and ignoramus' who find it funny to kid a man of science. If you supply me with your address, I can be at the site ASAP. You should be lucky I am at a convention this week and are in distance of your general area as described on the forums._

_Doctor Bransworth Willingson, PhD_

Michael's heart leapt at this, but at the same time made him anxious of how this guy would react to seeing Melody in reality. He debated about sending him the details or just ignoring the message, but in the end he gave in and replied with his address and contact information. It was the best hope so far and he couldn't set it disappear, for her sake. Though he was surprised that another email was flicked back only minute after he had replied. This one, much shorter and to the point.

_From: .com_

_Subject: Re Re: Inter-dimensional Creature Found_

_Excellent, I will be there by this evening._

_Doctor Bransworth Willingson, PhD_

Michael began to panic a bit. If it was this evening, it meant he only had a few hours or so to get everything ready. The biggest problem was figuring a way to show Melody without the guy freaking out too much. Secondly was the fact that he didn't even know this guy, what if he wasn't a real scientist but saw her anyway, he'd go to the police and they'd both be in a world of trouble. He tried to calm himself down as he paced around the living room. Calm down, rationalise everything and then decide what to do. That was his way of thinking. He sat down on the small couch and relaxed, maybe this whole thing could be over soon. If there was a way of getting Melody back home, then his life could go back to normal, the way he liked it.

"What did the message say" Melody said as he round the corner from the kitchen, holding a tray of sliced oranges and bananas. Michael said nothing for a moment as he gathered his thoughts. Melody patiently waited but felt unease in his mind.

"the message was from a guy who thinks he might be able to figure this out" Michael replied wearily, he felt her spirits rise a little as she heard this, but other emotions came through too. Nervousness, fear and...was it sorrow? This mental link was still quite confusing for Michael.

"But even if he can figure this out, it may take a while to get back" Michael said _"if there is a way..."_ he thought, cursing that he had forgotten she could read his thoughts. Despite this statement she still remained hopeful of some new finding. Now came the problem of introducing her in a casual way.

"Melody, when he gets here this afternoon, I want you to wait in the kitchen while I talk to him" Michael said "I'll call you when you can come in" at this Melody showed a quizzical expression "Not all humans can accept something like this as easy as me, if he saw you immediately, he might be scared or too shocked to continue. In fact you're probably lucky that it was me that found you, others would have panicked and probably tried to kill you" She suddenly felt very worried about this whole matter "Don't worry about it though, I'll make sure he's prepare so he won't freak out" Michael said, allowing a more caring tone to edge his voice, calming her down a considerable amount.

"Thank you" She said, voice quieter than usual, even in Michaels head he had to strain a little to hear it." But..." Michael turned to look at her, she was nervous about whatever she was about to ask "Do you think we could go...for another walk?"

Michael thought it couldn't hurt, she accepted the boundaries of his personal life last time, and hopefully this time they could form a bit more of a connection. "Sure, where do you want to go?" he said, he didn't know it, but there was a hint of happiness in his answer

"Anywhere that's interesting, I want to go home but I still want to see a bit of this world" she said.

Michael grabbed a coat and Melody followed him from the living room. They made their way down the morning sun rise lit path, shadows playing through the trees and dancing over the rocks of the dirt road. Melody was gliding over the path, not letting the dirt tarnish the white gown she seemed to wear. Michael wasn't even sure if it was a gown, it moved like a piece of clothing but she had arrived with it, it could just be part of her body for all he knew. Actually, he didn't know anything about her past the fact that she was here and wanted to get home. Who exactly was she?

"Melody, what was your life like in Hoenn?" Michael asked

"The same as any other Pokémon in the wild. I foraged for food with others of my kind and helped look after the younger members of the group" She said

"So you just lived in the forest? No contact with any civilization?" Michael asked

"Yes, my group slept and lived in a small cave by a river; it was a good spot for food and the river we could drink from" she said "There were no trainers who came near and no pollution throughout the area, in fact you could see for miles from atop trees. It was beautiful..." her voice lowered at the last part.

"Seems like it was a good life, were there other Pokémon in the group?" Michael asked, they turned off from the dirt road and walked through the side of the wheat field. The wheat rustled in a quiet song as the wind sang along. The smell of it was refreshing to a man who had been cramped up in his home for a day and a girl who had been dropped here against her will.

"There were a few other Gardeviors, their Gallade mates and some young Ralts and Kirlias" She said "We worked to help each other and everyone was happy"

"Were you?" Michael said the question without thinking

Melody sighed as she looked away a bit "It was okay, but I wasn't very content with my own life. I didn't tell the others because It seemed selfish to be the only one who wasn't happy with the life we had. I never had anyone I could talk to, the other Gardevoirs didn't converse much except with their mates, but I had no mate and no one to share my thoughts with"

Michael was surprised how much he related to this, he shut himself away from society by choice but that was because he didn't see anyone worth taking an interest in. I guess you could say he never found his 'type' which he could connect with. Everyone seemed superficial and strange. Maybe she was the type he'd been looking for, a familiar.  
They turned down a small side path slightly obscured by bush and fallen leaves, the path curved upwards, twisting and turning it continued.

"So why didn't you try to find a mate?" Michael asked, he had gotten an answer, it seemed okay to question further.

"I did, but there wasn't anyone who interested me. Unlike the rest of the Pokémon around me, I looked for something other than just a way to start a family" she said "I wanted something other than a child, a wanted a friend..."

She finished speaking as we reached the end of the path. The dirt ended and was over taken by lush grass as the ground levelled. The small grassy area was surrounded by trees; cutting off all view of the surrounding country, save on large gap at the front of the hill. A huge vista of pastures, forest and rivers could be seen though this gap, one single town was placed in the centre of it all. The wooden buildings were dull in the morning sun as people mulled around their daily activities. The morning cast a beautiful azure mist over the valley, giving the whole place a mystical look. Melody was captivated by the scene, it was like, for a brief second, she was home looking over the tree tops. She shivered as a breeze blew across the valley, visibly crossing the grass in a wave like pattern. Michael had sat down, leaning on one of the tree trunks as he admired the view himself. Melody sat down beside him as another breeze made its way across from the valley, she shivered more than she had, realising how cold it actually was this morning. Michael noticed her movements, he removed the coat he had brought and placed it over her shoulders, she blushed at this and thanked him quickly as she pulled herself further into the jacket. It was much too big for her, but she didn't mind, she could feel the left over heat from Michael on it as it rested on her shoulders. She was more surprised that he cared enough to do that. They sat in silence for a while, just enjoying the serenity of the moment, letting it calm their minds and forget about their problems. Michael soon began softly signing something; the tones were low and soft, like a piano.

"What is that song?" Melody asked, catching Michael off guard, he didn't realise he had been singing loud enough for her to hear.

"It's just a small song I like, slow and deep music" he said

"How does it go?" she asked, wanting to hear the full song, if he liked it so much then maybe she would too.

Michael stalled for a second, not knowing if his singing was good enough to emulate the song. Though he decided to just go for broke and try, there wasn't much he make sound wrong when someone's never heard the song.

"The songs' called Here Tonight, it goes like this" Michael said as he stalled for one more second, trying to prepare himself a bit more for his 'performance'

"So long, to you, my love  
Don't be, afraid, to run away  
I know, you'll be, okay  
Just take, your time, to find 

But I need you here tonight  
I need you here inside  
I need you here tonight  
I really really need you here  
tonight..." 

Made up, my mind, on this  
It's too late, for me, to hold you back  
Maybe, too short, or dumb  
Too cry, for you, but I will anyway"

Michael looked over but didn't stop as he heard another voice added to the song, Melody was singing along with him, voice matching his tones perfectly as he smiled, continuing into the chorus.

"_Cause I need you here tonight  
I need you here inside  
I need you here tonight  
I really really need you here  
Tonight..."_

As their voices rose, Michael realised something. He felt...happy, oh how he had forgotten how long it had been since he felt happiness. Coming back to it was near intoxicating, she was the one who brought his happiness. She was one of the few people who had made him truly smile, maybe she was the one...no, he shook those thoughts but at least he still remained happy as they continued their duet. She was a Pokémon, another species; such a thing was absurd, even in his mind. Besides, she would never return those feelings; she would be gone soon anyway when the doctor found that caused this whole thing.

They sat for a long time after this, joy was radiating off Melody who felt an equal reaction from Michael through their link. Their emotions were shared but their minds remained barred, it was the agreement they had and neither minded, but Michael still wondered what she thought of while she was here with him. Michael looked at his watch, an old faded analogue thing with a brown leather strap he had purchased at a second hand shop, even the shopkeeper made that terrible second hand shop selling a watch pun. It was around half past midday now

Michael got up "We better leave now" he said "that scientist might be arriving soon" he turned to leave but Melody grabbed hind hand 

"What's wro-"Michael only got that far before he felt like he had been yanked forward by a cord around his waist. When the shock went away, he looked around to see that they were both back at the house. Melody let go of his hand.

"Teleportation?" Michael asked, it seemed the only explanation, Melody just smiled and giggled as he stumbled a few steps. Still a tiny bit disorientated. But as they walked up the stairs to the entrance, the crushing of dirt and rocks could be heard. Michael turned to see an old sedan driving up the dirt road. He quickly went inside and shut the door, he looked at Melody, who nodded and quickly shuffled into the kitchen to wait. Michael placed his coat back on the rack beside the door as he heard a knock. He steadied himself and opened the door. Standing in front of him was a man with white wild side hair, small spectacles in front of beady green eyes and a small goatee. He wore a plaid shirt and black pants along with what looked like tartan slippers. One word summed him up, eccentric

"Good afternoon, you're that Michael chap, eh?"


	4. Chapter 4

Just to let you all know, this story already has been written to 13 chapters. I post it on another site, the link is in my profile as the site is NSFW. I post the chapters here sporadically, I don't really like due to how useless the reviews can be sometimes, especially if a story is terrible yet people will insist that it's good.

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So if you do like the story, do yourself a favor and head over to my profile to find the link to the full thing.

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"Good afternoon, you're that Michael chap, eh?"

His comment was quite different from his he presented himself in the email. Then again, so was his appearance.

"Uh...yeah, come in" Michael said as he moved out of the way. The scientist walked in, taking in the place as he walked, empty as it was.

"Come to the living room" Michael said, he motioned to the couch and two small chairs in the room opposite the door. It was modest, but comfortable. He and the scientist sat down, Michael on the couch as the scientist had already taken one of the chairs and was already scribbling notes on his pad, of what, Michael couldn't guess. Michael waited for him to start the conversation, but after a minute of silence, he thought he'd have to do so himself.

"Uh...doctor?" He said, the man just looked up with a small 'hm?', "Well, what do you want to know first?"

"That depends, what do you want to know about me?" The man said as if it were an average answer for him

"Well, what are you studying and why are you so interested in inter-dimensional creatures?" Michael asked

"as I stated in the email, I am investigating the effect of faster than light particles acceleration through inter-dimensional barriers and how it relates to this worlds own Newtonian physics and quantum fluctuations" Michaels stare was blank, confused, but blank "but in layman's terms it's the study of the quantum world and its effects on this dimension and others"

"So you publish documents on these findings?"

"Of course! Well...the scientific world has yet to approve my theorem for international use but it will be soon enough!" he said, Michael began to wonder if his studies were actually scientific at all.

"So what are you going to do if you find a creature from another dimension?" Michael asked

"Well study it!" The doctor exclaimed "Of course, the creature would probably be very simplistic, such a mere bacteria or cellular organisms, larger beings couldn't come through quantum fluctuations"

"Could you send this or any other creature back through?" Michael asked, maybe a bit too suddenly after the doctors answer

"Why would you want to do that? Creatures from another dimension would offer insight into the environment of that dimension and even allow us to improve our understanding of our own world" The doctor said, he was still writing something in that notebook

"Well, could the creature be sentient? Thinking on its own and acts accordingly?" Michael asked, yet again too suddenly, but the doctor caught it this time

"Why do you want to know? I'm wondering if you were being serious about this creature on the forums" The doctor said as he put his notepad down "are you going to let me see it, or was this just a ploy for your amusement?."

Michael decided to act, if he didn't the doctor would probably just leave and take with him Melody's hopes of getting back. He sighed and stood up, moving to the hallway and whispered something around the corner that the doctor couldn't make out. Michael moved back to the side of the door and faced the doctor with a very serious demeanour

"Doctor, what I am about to show you will not leave this room, you mustn't tell anyone of this. If you do, there'll be consequences for all of us" Michael said, his voice as cold as steel, the doctor slowly nodded, brow arched.

Melody, who had been waiting on the other side of the opening, stepped into the room. The doctor's eyes widened fully as he struggled to say anything, his pad dropped from his hand as it shook uncontrollably. Soon his eyes began searching all over the room, trying to process everything he was thinking. Though he soon calmed down, if you could call it that, he began to laugh. Not the cold menacing mad scientist kind of laugh but rather a hearty, fatherly kind of laugh.

"This is amazing!" He said through the wheezing "Fantastic, unfathomable, Incomprehensible!" He laughed even more at his words. "You have to show me where it appeared!" he practically begged

"She, not it" Michael corrected

"Right, right, just show me!" he said, Michael and Melody showed him through the door. As soon as they did, he made for his car. It seemed like he was going to drive off, but instead he opened the trunk and began to pull out numerous gizmos and machines. He followed Michael quickly through the field, looking and acting like a kid opening his Christmas presents. Michael pointed to the area he had found melody a few nights ago, the only un-burnt patch of wheat in that area of the field. While the doctor set up various machines and measures, melody seemed nervous. She was uneasy by being here apparently, the place where her life had changed. Michael gently took her hand, allowing her a little ease. The doctor caught his attention as he began walking around the area with something akin to a Geiger counter. It was emitting soft ticks here and there, but at the centre of the ashes was where it was the strongest.

"This is it! This where the event must have taken place, the tachyon saturation in this area is huge!" He yelled

"H-hang on a minute" Michael stuttered "Why are you sure? And what are tachyons?"

"Particles of matter that are able to travel through time and space at a near infinite speed! My theory showed they could travel through dimensions as well given the right conditions" He explained, a fair bit calmer now "If there was a wormhole opened around here, the tachyons would be all over the place as they had a chance to move through the barriers of both dimension much easier"

"So this area is like some kind of gateway?" Melody asked, Michael heard it too but the doctor was surprised to hear her speak, especially how her voice sounded

"Ha-ha! Intelligent too!" the doctor laughed "In a way yes, this area is basically a crack in reality! Imagine a giant glass cube, one small crack in the middle sends many fractures along it, make it big enough and things can come though, like you!"

"So can you get me back through it" Melody asked, hope rising in her heart

The doctors features dropped a bit, slight gloom showing. He hesitated before answering

"n-no, the energy needed to force a wormhole open is tremendous, we'd need more energy than the sun can put out in a hundred years, even with the weakness here" The doctor sighed "In fact the crack has probably already fixed itself, I'm sorry"

Melody's heart felt like it had been crushed by a lead weight. Losing all the hope she had to return to her world in a single statement, she couldn't take it all. Tears welled n her eyes as a faint blue outline surrounded her. It couldn't be true! There had to be something that could help! But the more she thought about it, the more hopeless it became. Wind whipped around the field as the outline became stronger. Fence posts were up lifted and sent flying about the area, the ground shook as the wind became stronger. Michael was knocked over by a stray post as he tried to move. Her emotions were out of control, reasonable with what she had just been told, but he'd be damned if he was going to let her just destroy herself and everything around her. He got up, gasping for breath after being hit, focusing his eyes on melody; he began to move towards her. As he got closer, bolts of physic energy jolted off her body, hitting the ground around her and frying what was left of the wheat. Michael wasn't distracted by this though, he had accepted death was better than this world a long time ago, if he was killed here, maybe God would give him some sort of forgiveness for trying to help her at least. Through the blasts of stray energy, he wandered, soon closing the gap between them. He reached his hand out and pulled her head close to his chest, hopefully she could still hear him.

"Melody, I said I would help you get back, I'm not going to let this stop me" He whispered in the most caring tone he could muster, not easy for someone who had lived a life like he "I won't let any harm come to you, I promise"

Melody's tears didn't cease, but the wind around the field slowly came to a stop, the random objects thrown about, now fell to earth with dull thuds and clatters. Melody quietly sobbed in Michaels arms, oblivious to everything but her own despair. The doctor was scurrying about the field, trying to find where his equipment had landed, muttering things such as "Incredible, unbelievable, amazing" under his breath. Michael decided that it was probably time to leave this place.

"Doctor, let's go back inside" he said, lifting melody in both arms. As they walked back, she clung to him like a newborn looking for comfort in a strange new world, Michael though she was in a situation like that anyway. As they entered the old house once again, Michael directed the doctor back to the living room, taking their respective seats once again. Melody had laid her head on Michael's legs as she lay quietly. The doctor was mellower than he had been, after seeing that display of power; he was reconsidering his view on other sentient species.

"Is there really no way she can get home?" Michael asked

The doctor slunk slightly into his chair "none that come to mind, this sort of science hasn't even been attempted by humanity yet, it's all theory" he said. A silence followed, neither really knew what to say.

"If you don't mind me asking...you see...her like a human don't you?" The doctor asked

Michael looked down on melody. She was a Pokémon, but she acted and felt like a human would, he guessed he had been treated her as one. After a couple of days living under the same roof, it was actually hard to distinguish their species.

"She seems just like a little girl to me, why wouldn't I treat her as such?" He replied "Humans aren't used to having another species that thinks for itself on the planet, it seems foreign after these thousands of years, but she seems just like one of us on the inside"

The doctor listened curiously; it was a strange situation to him too, why it happened was anyone's guess. But maybe there was something he could do.

"Michael...I'd like to stay a few days, if that's alright with you" the doctor said "Study the area more, I might find something that could set us on the right track. And, again if you don't mind, I'd like to study her"

The word 'study' seemed harsh to both of them, like they were talking about some lab rat, but there was really no other way of putting it.

"Just standard things, blood testing, cell analysis and brain scans. It could benefit everyone." The doctor reassured "Something about her might have gotten her here through that wormhole"

"That'll be fine with me, but ultimately it's up to her-"

"Its fine" Melody cut Michael off, neither Michael nor the doctor expected this "whatever can help" her once beautiful voice seemed flat now. Michael sighed

"I don't have a guest room, but you could sleep in here, I have a mattress I can give you"

"Nonsense, I don't mind sleeping in my car, it'll make things easier" The doctor insisted "and you can call me Will, doctor seems too formal now"

Michael nodded; the doctor was about to get up but Michael had one nagging question he had to have answered

"How is this possible?" he asked, Will looked at him oddly, not understanding, Michael continued "Pokémon is just a video game in this world, how is it possible that something like that could manifest so accurately in another world? It's ludicrous, it shouldn't be possible"

Will smiled a bit; he always loved lecturing people on a subject he was an expert on, it made him feel like a college professor again.

"Have you heard of the multi-verse theory?" he asked, Michael shook his head "it states that there are near infinite parallel dimensions to this one. If you can think of any kind of world, no matter how ludicrous, it exists in one dimension. My theory incorporates this theory. I theorise that all these dimensions are, kind of floating in a sea of, well nothingness"

Michael nodded, simple so far, but there were probably thousands of equations behind it all.

"Now, these dimensions are all moving in utterly random and chaotic motions and speeds, but sometimes these dimensions can come close enough to one another that they interact. This results in quantum phenomena like wormholes and such, of course this was all theory, but she seems to be the proof" Will said, making many hand motions to convey these ideas "but since the movement is chaotic, we don't know if her dimension has moved yet or if it's still near enough to ours that another portal could open in the already weak area"

"And if it is?" Michael asked

"Then there might be a way to predict if the portal will reopen" Will smiled, but it was a sad smile, as if he was saying _'but that could never happen'._

Will got up and walked towards the front door, leaving Michael to ponder as he often did. There was really no chance; it was a shot in the dark, a one in a million. But you'd have to be looking for that one in a million to have the chance to find it wouldn't you?

It was already dark by now; the sun had set during the incident in the field, letting the stars make their way into the velvet black sky. Michael slowly ran his hand over Melody's head, she stirred slightly as he said "you should get some rest, we can figure this out in the morning, okay?" Melody gave a small nod, allowing herself to be carried to Michael's room, which she now lived in. As she was set down on the white covers of the soft bed, she tugged Michaels arm, he looked in her eyes but she turned away.

"I'm scared" she said, voice quavering. "What if I can't get back, what if I'm stuck here?"

Michael sat on the bed next to her; she still held strong his arm. He had thought of this too, it would be hard for the both of them.

"Would it really be so bad?" He asked, his question made her flinch "Didn't you say that you had nothing to hang onto in that world? I know you want to go back, I can understand that and I won't stop you from going back if we can find a way. But if you are really stuck here...you'll have me. You'll have me and Will to help you through all of life's troubles. Either way, I think you'll be fine"

Melody felt calmer from hearing this, a small blush spreading across her pale face, she was thankful he didn't notice it thanks to the darkness of the room. Michael's views on the world could be strange, but they all held a kernel of wisdom and truth.

"Thank you" she whispered, closing her tired eyes and finally resting. Michael tried to move away, but her arm was still around his. He was tired and just wanted to sleep, but she would wake if he moved, he decided to just sleep where he was. There wasn't much harm to it, but as he lay there next to the girl he'd formed a bond with over the past few days, he couldn't help but wondering where it would all go. He hadn't had much luck with females due to his depressive nature; they always went after the more outgoing, excitable guys. What was wrong with being himself, seeing the world through jade coloured glasses, wasn't that enough for people nowadays? After a while he had given up on it and just closed himself in, forgetting all about the outside world and its distractions. It was encouraged in every school and society to be yourself, but was being thought by people who themselves covered their own feelings and tendencies, all for the sake of being deemed normal. But she didn't follow any of those social vices, she wasn't exposed to them. She listened and accepted the person standing before her, she didn't expect more than he could give or expect him to change for her. The one female he thought he could actually care for and treasure, maybe even love, turned out to be a Pokémon. It was a cruel fate, wasn't it? Knowing the one person you could go that extra mile for, was eternally out of reach, just a mere illusion that could never be real. Michael let one tear drop from his sullen face before closing his eyes, one thought crossing his mind as he fell into a cheerless slumber

"Maybe in my dreams, maybe...in my dreams..."


	5. Chapter 5

Warm morning light filtered through the old glass window, old glass twisting and distorting it. The light fell upon the two people occupying the double bed, turning the white sheets a soft gold, as if bullion was sown into them. The figures in the bed looked almost as two lovers would do, though this was not intended, gently holding one another. Shadows danced on the cover as melody stirred, her eyes slowly fluttering open, coaxed by the intruding light. She slowly recognised her surroundings, an old drawer, and a bed with white linen sheets. The place was becoming more familiar, she no longer woke with a small panic as to why she was not waking to the running water of a creek and rustling of the grass, she was thankful for that. As she shifted, she noticed the extra weight on the bed, looking over she realised that Michael was asleep next to her. She then noticed that she was softly holding onto his arm, and that he was holding her close with his other arm, whether or not this was intentional she didn't know. She didn't know what to do; this was strange to her, not uncomfortable though, as she felt the warmth of their closeness. She blushed slightly as she slowly got up, trying not to wake him.

She exited the room and walked to the adjourning bathroom. Though the house was old, it had a shower fitted, looking slightly out of place with the wood panel walls and aged iron windows. She removed her dress and stepped into the shower, not many people knew that her species could remove their dress as it looked like it was a part of their bodies; of course, it wasn't common practise in the presence of someone else. Really, not even her own species knew how it came to being when they evolved from a Kirlia, it was just there. Melody let the hot water run over her, enjoying the heat. She rarely ever washed with heated water back home, she and the rest of her group bathed in the creek by the cave, expect in the rare case that they migrated to a mountain hot spring during a hard winter or when there was nothing left to forage. Her mind wandered back to Michael as she washed, she remembered last night perfectly well, it was when that scientist had told her the chances of getting back home. And when Michael had promised to care for her if she never did back home, she wondered what she thought of her, strange as she wasn't even her species. She had heard of Human Pokémon relationships in her world, in rather...graphic detail, but it was all from Swellows and Tailows who liked to tell tall tales just to watch their reactions, and she never paid them any heed. But now she was rethinking her views on it all. She did feel something for Michael, but she couldn't figure out if it was love or nervousness. And what would he think of that, humans were the only sentient species in this world, he might be disgusted by the idea. Then where would their relationship go? Knowing that she loved him but he didn't return the feeling. She would ask him eventually, but put the thoughts away for now as she stepped from the shower. Drying herself with a spare towel, she replaced the dress and exited the room. But turning into the hall, she bumped into Michael; both gave a flustered hello as they awkwardly moved from each other's path. She sighed as Michael entered the bathroom, moving down to the kitchen to prepare her breakfast.

After Michael had finished his shower, he came down to the living room where Will was waiting. He was currently preparing some machines that looked like they belonged in a hospital, all hooked up to a laptop sitting on the coffee table in the middle of the room. Rather than using a chair, he was sitting cross-legged on the floor, typing away on the little machine. Melody was sitting behind him, curiously examining the monitor. Will turned his head and grinned.

"Michael, good to see you're up. I hope you don't mind me turning your living room into a small laboratory" he said getting up. He picked up a few sheets of papers from a small printer he had on and thrust them in Michaels face. "You have to see these! They're readings from the field this morning"

Michael looked over them but didn't really understand any of the charts or spreadsheets he had placed around the page. Thankfully, Will took the courtesy to explain.

"The tachyon levels have grown, only slightly, but they're still increasing" He said "The crack is growing! Eventually it'll settle down, but for now the chances of a wormhole reopening are getting better"

Michael nodded slightly, it was still unlikely but they had more of a chance now. Will sat back down and continued analyzing data. Michael noticed the canvas he had laying by the wall, that painting he had put off nearly a week ago, maybe now was a good time to finish it. Walked down the corridor and opened the closet containing his various art supplies. Grabbing the same paints and palette he used before and loading them into a satchel, he walked back and picked the painting up, he turned to Melody before heading for the door.

"I'm going out to finish this painting, you can come with me if you want" Michael said, melody smiled and followed him "Don't blow the place up will"

Will just laughed at this as they exited the house. They made their way down the dirt path behind the house, heading for the creek, the subject of the painting. Not much was said along the way, both retaining their thoughts about each other. It was a case of what the South Americans would call 'mamihlapinatapai', or in English "looking at each other hoping that either will offer to say or do something which both desire but are unwilling to say or do". A mouthful, to be sure.

They reached their destination in a few minutes and Michael set up his easel on the bank, he set up the paints on the palette and began to paint. Melody watched as the brush danced over the canvas, accentuating colours and defining edges. She never knew the world could be captured as such, a single moment in time, painted onto a canvas as if it were nothing at all. It was contained so simply yet held so much meaning. Michael added dabs of colour here and large swaths there, constantly looking over the canvas to try capture the scene as accurately as possible. Within the hour, Michael had finished the painting and, in small black lettering, wrote his name in the bottom right corner. Even during the walk back, they said nothing to each other, odd with how much they'd been talking recently. Soon as they walked back melody noticed a faint purple glow in the forest, exaggerated by the morning light. She stopped to look at it for a while; Michael noticed this and turned to see what was wrong.

"What is that?" Melody asked. Michael turned to see the faint purple glow.

"I don't know, I've never noticed it before" Michael said "want to go take a look?"

Melody nodded and began walking towards the mysterious light. As they came closer, she noticed a faint scent in the air. Sweet and sharp, reminding her of the smell of Rawst berries. The glow dimmed as they came closer, the objects defining themselves in the light filtering through the trees. An explosion of purple appeared between the trees, small flowers on tall stems grew all over, giving off that sweet smell.

"I didn't know lavender grew around here" Michael said, taking in the vividness of the field before him. "This would make a great painting"

"Yes...do you think...I could try painting it?" Melody asked, hesitantly. Michael was surprised

"Sure, what got you interested in painting?" He asked as he set the easel down, removing a large piece of paper from his satchel and setting it on the easel.

"You just made it look so expressive" She said "I want to be able to...catch a moment on paper like that"

Michael smiled, he loaded the palette with the colours she would need and handed it to her, she mimicked his grip on it. The paintbrush was harder for her to hold, it kept slipping from her hand, and she began to grow frustrated.

"Here" Michael said as he reached out and gripped her hand, slipping the paintbrush into place. "Hold it firmly, now drag it slowly across the paper" he guided her hand with his own as a streak of violet made its way across the paper. She slowly began to paint as his grip loosened. Michael sat himself down, leaning against a tree trunk; he was fascinated by how quickly she learned. She could have used her psychic powers to control the brush, but didn't, she had allowed him to guide her instead. As he sat there, more and more of the paper was filled by deep purples and greens of the surrounding landscape. It looked like she was painting with nature itself. He didn't know how long it had been when she put the brush down, but the sun was already falling from the sky. She looked at the paper, admiring her work. Michael admired it too, amazed by the detail she had put into it, as it was her first time painting.

"This is great" he said "I can put this in the bedroom, right above the bed". Melody didn't say anything, instead let out a noticeable sigh. She was sad, Michael couldn't imagine why, she had just painted something great. But beneath that sadness he felt loneliness, a longing.

"What's wrong?" he asked, laying a hand on her shoulder. She half flinched at this, turning her head away.

"Michael" she began "have you ever loved anyone?"

Michael was taken aback by this, a bit sudden to ask. He waited a second before answering

"I thought I was once, but it didn't work out" He said "She wasn't happy with who I was, she asked to much and I couldn't provide, she told me on the final date we had. After all we had been through and all those promises I kept, she left because she found someone else. After that I gave up on women, the idea of love all seemed like an illusion". He never really told anyone of his life, but Melody he could now trust.

"But...could you love someone else?" she asked

"Maybe, but the human race is cruel with love" Michael said "it's just another means for them to exploit to get what they want. Wars have been started over it, but nothing came out. People have been broken thanks to it, some even taking their loves because of it."

Melody's heart sank deeper as he said that, tears welled up at the sides of her eyes. He voice was breaking as she said the next words.

"Could you love someone who wasn't human?"She asked "someone who wanted nothing more than someone to care for them?"

As they hit him, Michael knew the implications of these words. He turned Melody around and gently placed a hand on her cheek, her tears ran down her face as he did so.

"Melody" He said, voice quiet "What are you trying to tell me?" even his voice was beginning to falter. She shakily breathed a few breaths before saying it

"I think I love you" she said, not breaking eye contact. Michael stood still for a moment; he could feel her emotions going crazy. There was sadness, regret, shame, longing. But somewhere down there, beneath all the sadness and dismay, he felt love. It was strange to actually feel someone's love, rather than just experience yourself. But it was there, and it was strong; like a blanket of protection around a confused heart. She slowly collapsed as she cried softly; she knew he could never accept. "I'm sorry" she cried, running away, out of the field. Michael was still standing in half shock, it was now or never for him to act. He ran after melody and quickly grabbed her, pulling her close, trying to stifle his own tears.

"Don't leave!" He cried. She looked back, hurt in her eyes

"We're not even the same species" She said, sobs obscuring the words slightly "how can you love me back?"

"Melody, I regret so much in my life already, all those wasted years and choices I could have made. I'll never be able to go back" He whispered "But I know if I let you leave like this, I'll regret it more than anything I've ever done. Please Melody; you're the one person I actually felt I could really love without condition. That one person who could make me smile a real smile after all these years of masks and loneliness, I want it all to stop."

Melody turned to Michael, a smile on her face; she didn't think it was possible. Michael held her tight as they felt their minds open up, the link was complete, he felt her and now she felt him. It was being connected on the deepest level possible. Michael held her as she fell to the ground, simply happy to be in his arms. There they sat for an hour in relief they could actually admit it to each other now. Michael placed a soft kiss on her forehead as he pulled her up, holding her close to him as he carried her back to the house, a place where they could both now truly call home.

About the same time, on a small Australian farm across the world, it was near midnight. Everyone was asleep and the cattle were sitting quietly in their sheds. Only the occasional cicada chirp broke the silence. However, as the folks down under slumbered, small sparks were appearing near one of the old cattle sheds. The sparks weren't noticeable at first, but they grew. And as they grew, the cattle became aware of their presence. The sparks became arcs of lightning and the wind picked up around the area, the cows started to shift and bang against the shed walls, crying out in terror as this strange event came to its crescendo. The shed was rattled and hay was thrown everywhere as a shockwave was sent out from the centre of it all. A small creature lay on the hay streaked ground very aware and alert of its surroundings, three small red spots on its back. All this noise quickly woke the farm owner from his sleep. The old Australian rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he saw the light emanating from the cattle shed, he hopped out of his bed and drew closer to the window, she could see the hay being thrown around from here.

"What the bloody hell?" He muttered, soon after he said this, the wind had calmed down and the lightning was gone. He pulled on his gumboots and grabbed his gun from the rack in the closet.

"Bloody kids" He mumbled as he quickly shuffled down the stairs of the farmhouse, crashing through the door and jogging over to the shed. The cows were going crazy, something was in there. He raised his shotgun and called out

"Alright yeh wankers, come on out or I'll shoot yeh legs off and drag you out" He yelled, though what happened next he really didn't expect. A large tongue of flame erupted from one of the openings in the sheet metal wall of the cowshed, he jumped back. Did they have a freaking flame thrower in there? But enough was enough, they were torching his livestock! He threw the door of the shed opened and fired several shells into the centre of the flames. He heard yell of pain, but the cows incessant mooing drowned most of it out. Grabbed a bucket and put out the remaining flames with water from the drinking trough, trying to calm the cows as he did do. The cows did eventually calm down as he extinguished the last flames, but two of them were dead, cooked alive by the looks of it. There were no kids around though, if there were, he doubted they would have gotten past him. He looked around and spotted a small body by one of the dead cows, it looked like a small cat, or a large guinea pig. Half of it was blow away, from his shots he guessed, but he still didn't know what it was. A critter like that couldn't have done this, could it? The cows just mooed in response.

Michael and Melody slept well that night. They curled up together in bed, entwined in each other's arms; there was nothing that spoilt their moment. Will had asked no questions when Michael had brought her back in, simply the idea of this whole situation was crazy enough already, anything could happen now. He simply continued working through the night, he had managed to get a small blood sample from melody before she went to bed, and he spent the rest of his time analyzing it before falling asleep on the couch amongst his papers. As dawn broke, Michael opened his eyes, shielding them from the incoming light. He laid his head down on the pillow, giving melody a quick kiss on the top of her head as she opened her eyes. Ruby red met a warm hazel, the grey edges still present around them, but it no longer barred her from him. She snuggled closer to him, feeling the warmth and hearing the heartbeat in his chest, pleased to be so close to him. However, they eventually got up; the day had to start sometime. Michael having a shower after melody, but after he exited the bathroom, he heard will yell for him.

"Michael! Get down here!" he yelled, Michael hurried down the stairs to the living room. The professor was watching something on his computer. He turned to Michael

"Look it this!" he said, beckoning Michael over. Michael walked over and looked at the monitor; it was on the BBC website, playing a news video. One female reporter was standing by a man in a stained singlet and short faded khaki pants.

"We are here in the state of Queensland, Australia, where a rather strange turn of events has occurred. The owner of this farm, Liam Gabry, claims that two of his livestock were somehow incinerated before his eyes in an unknown event." She had the standard nasally British accent all the BBC reporters seemed to have. The man next to her spoke into the microphone he was holding near him. "It was near midnight, and I wake up to see all this electricity flyin' near my sheds." he said, pointing to the old sheet metal shed behind him. "So I grabbed my gun and rushed out there. Thought it'd jus' be a bunch of vandal kids causin' trouble. But when I yelled at em', something shot a bunch o' flames through the shed. I was rather shocked, ay? So I run in there and fire off a few shots in the direction off that lil bugger. But there weren't no kids there, hay was all over the place and the cattle were goin' crazy, but no kids. I did find something a might odd, there a this oversized hamster thing near one of the dead cows, I think it was what I shot, but I dunno' if it could have done somethin' like that"

The shot cut to the dead body of what he had rather accurately described as a oversized hamster. Black, blood matted fur covered its back with three small patches of raised red skin showing. It had a small echidna like snout on the front of its face. Michael couldn't tell what it really was.

"That's a Cyndaquil" Melody quietly, Michael didn't know what to say.

"Wildlife officials are examining the body and have yet to make an announcement, the owner of the farm will not be charged for animal cruelty. This is Cyncia Roberts, BBC World News"

The video ended as the three sat speechless, another Pokémon had appeared, but halfway across the world this time. Will broke the silence as he tended to do

"The dimensions must be getting closer since another wormhole opened up." He said, rubbing his eyes "Less energy is needed for a wormhole to open, so another weak spot cracked open"

"What do you think they'll say about it?" Michael asked

"Probably announce another species of vermin or something being found in Australia" He said, going back to his research "But if they do find something on that creature, something they can search further on, then we may be under threat of discovery"

Michael paced for a minute before asking another question

"What do we do now?" He said, confusion in his voice

"Wait and see, we haven't got much else to do. The quantum world is random and chaotic, if something else happens then it'll be all over the news and we may be able to trace a pattern of locations or something " he said, tiredly "But for now, mum's the word on all this dimensional research nonsense."

Michael nodded as he gazed out the window into space. Melody drifted to his side and took his hand, squeezing gently. The world was going to change soon; he thought to himself, he could feel something big brewing on the horizon, and he could only hope that he and Melody would be able to pull through it.


	6. Chapter 6

The Queensland Marsupial Research Laboratories was a bustle with activity this morning, unlike many other days when only a few scientists manned the workstations, as a new creature was being brought in for study. Granted, the creature was not alive, it was still fascinating to the people that such a creature had remained undiscovered. The local Veterinarians hadn't been able to identify its species and said they had no records of anything like it, thus, it had been brought in for an autopsy. Results would soon be announced and questions answered, and the conference hall was ripe with tension and excitement. Wildlife experts from all over Australia had flown in as the word soon spread of this new and exotic creature. The chatter adorning the hall soon fell as a young man, looking like he was fresh out of school, approached the podium. The tension could have been cut with a knife as he cleared his throat and began.

"Thank you all for coming to this conference, I know many want to know about this new creature and hopefully, what we have discovered will have some use in your fields. Unfortunately, Professor Chester couldn't be here today, so I will only be giving a very short summary of our findings. The rest you can find in the report which will be handed out at the end of this presentation." He said, the nervousness in his voice disappeared as he launched into his speech "The creature which was unidentifiable by local wildlife experts, has been discovered as a completely new species, and a very odd one at that. What we have found on the creature is completely new to us and the world of biological science, not only is it a new species, but it has a totally new cellular and genetic structure."

A slide showing photographs and drawings of the creature's body was projected onto the screen behind the man.

"The creature, as seen here, is very much similar to an echidna in looks. However, it possesses these three raised bumps of flesh on the back of its neck. These bumps are actually glands which produce a highly flammable biological substance, which the creature can propel from its mouth. When the substance travels through the throat, the saliva of the creature acts as a catalyst, beginning a reaction which sets the material alight. Thus, it has the ability to use a flame thrower sort of mechanism in self defence, it really is quite amazing"

Murmurs and whispers ran through the crowd as he paused for effect. This all sounded like a big hoax, but projector was currently showing the make-up of the various chemicals in the process and how it all fit together, making it very hard to argue against.

"The genetic structure of the creature is very unusual as well, in the fact that it is unstable. The genes are able to adapt to many foreign genomes and transform them into its own, with only slight traces of the foreign one, and remain completely operational. We theorise at this point, that the creature is able to interbreed naturally and remain the same, thus the reason it has been so unknown. The DNA also is very erratic in growth, as the creature seems to grow from one stage of its life to another in a very short time span, estimated at only a few minutes."

This really got the crowd going. Chattering and exchanging ideas quickly about what they could do with all this new data.

"We don't know if this affects the survival of the creature, as such a sudden change in the body of another animal would cause the body to enter a state of shock and quickly die. But assuming it could survive this accelerated growth, it would play a large part in treating many animal and human diseases and disorders."

He sighed as the crowd's voices escalated over his, thankful this would only be a short lecture.

Michael had placed Melody's painting above the bed, giving a burst of colour to the otherwise dull room. He looked out the bedroom window, wondering how all this could have happened in such a short time, was there even a reason behind it? Or was it all random, as will had described. Currently, will was down in the field again, examining the area for invisible forces Michael couldn't begin to comprehend. His mind wandered through various thoughts, like his head was running through a maze of pictures, trying to find the one that meant something. His mind eventually drew back to the thought of melody. He knew he should consider himself lucky to have her, and to have her return his feelings also, but he wondered if she had a purpose being sent here. She wasn't aware of any reason she would be sent here, and just wanted to get home.

"Home..." Michael sighed "Home is where the heart is..."

But his heart belonged to melody. When she left, would be left too? Forced to wander forever without a home? He would hate to see her leave, it would be like other relationships he had been in, but they would both feel the pain, making the pain even greater. If he stayed here, he would lose her forever. But if he followed her, they would be in a new world, where their feelings would be taboo. As he was thinking, he felt two light arms wrap around his midsection, a calm voice ran through his head"

"You're worrying about something" she said "I can tell"

Michael smiled lightly, putting an arm over her shoulder.

"Just thinking about the future" He said "It's hard not to"

"I wouldn't worry about it too much" she said

"Aren't you the one who told me to watch the future?" he asked, amusement in his voice

"Yes, but that doesn't mean you can enjoy the present" she said happily

"I suppose that's true" Michael replied, both of them laughing as they watched Will begin panicking after one of his machines began smoking. Maybe this would all we okay, as long as they had each other.

Thankfully, will had stopped the machine from bursting into flame by the time melody and Michael had gotten to him. He chuckled sheepishly as they approached, the smell of plastic fuelled smoked about him

"What happened there?" Michael asked, the machines plastic shell was slightly melted.

"I'm not sure but I think I might have pressed it too hard with the calculations I was trying to make" He said, moving overt to another machine with a small green monitor. The machine ticked slightly, a graph on the monitor showing measurements of whatever will was working on.

"I can repair it later, but I was trying to match any pattern in the tachyon levels" He said

Melody frowned slightly, she didn't understand much of Wills science, but she knew that those tachyons measured the strength of the gate back home.

"Is there anything wrong with them?" she asked

"Not really, they fluctuate, but it's just natural for them to do that" Will said, tapping various keys on the machine, adjusting the settings. "But I did find something interesting about you, melody"

Michael and melody look at him, perplexed. Something about melody...was she the cause, the solution, a piece of the puzzle?

"From what I know, after consulting various...video game guides" He said, the words 'video game guides' came out begrudgingly with a groan "Your species is psychic and able to use telekinesis, am I right?"

"That's right" she said, warily.

"If you can move everyday objects like a rock or a chair, then maybe you can move very tiny objects" he said, a grin growing on his face

"What are you getting at?" Michael asked, previous history showing that when Will got excited, he was usually onto something. Will's smile increased

"Atoms, matter, tiny quantum particles that often move in a chaotic manner" He explained "If melody can move them, then she might be able to increase the crack in space, to the point that the amount of energy escaping through it causes a wormhole to be forced open"

Melody seemed intrigued by this proposal. Hope and happiness bounded in her mind, but through the connection, Michael could feel sadness deeper than those surface emotions. Michael wondered if he was the root of that, that she too didn't want to leave. Melody answered slowly

"I could try it, but I'm not used to moving something that small" she said, Will quickly reset some of the equipment, focusing what looked like a large black metal plate at the area where the crack was supposed to exist, then giving the go ahead to her. Melody sat down on the flattened wheat and closed her eyes. A faint outline of blue appeared around her body as she focused her psychic powers. As she sat, she searched for them, those tiny particles that were the trail home. Michael was surprised when he suddenly felt his perception grow deeper, his vision was the same, but he could see so much more. It was like the world just became crisper and more defined. Maybe it was the mental link; she was sorting through objects that were getting smaller and smaller, increasing her perception more and more. Her face slightly distorted as she focused more, straining herself to see what she looked for.

"There's too many" she said, Will didn't hear her, but Michael did, the words were only in her own mind "I can't tell which are which"

"Try looking for ones that are moving faster than the rest" Michael said "That crack is like a leak in a water pipe, they should be being forced out at a higher speed"

Melody strained harder, Michael felt it too. Now, not only could he see small blue dots of the nitrogen and oxygen in the air around him, but he could hear their vibrations as they moved. It was a static like noise that became clearer as she focused more. Melody found them, the particles which were being spewed out of a small crack in space, from her world. But by now, she was hearing so much noise it was almost impossible to concentrate. Her breathing was laboured as the various high and low pitched noises droned in her head; it was painful to hear such things. Michael was feeling slightly less than her, the noise had increased but he didn't feel pain, he heard all various pitches of sound, from bass to tenor, it all came together in a never certain tune.

"The music of the spheres..." Michael thought o himself. But he was pulled from that thought as Melody's emotions spiked. She was trying to pull open more particles through the crack, increasing its size. But as he did so, the noise in her head got worse. She was on the edge of collapse as she tried harder to open a gate; it felt as if her head was full of stinging bees, growing more painful with each second. But she couldn't stop now, she could feel it the crack growing, it was all she had. She was vaguely aware of someone calling her, slightly shaking her body; it was hard to hear anything now. She was growing faint from pain, like if she continued any more, she might as well merge with space itself. But suddenly one voice struck above the sound, it was clear in her fogged head, like a direct line to her mind.

"Wake up!" it yelled "you can stop now melody! Come on, please just come back...we'll find another way...please...don't leave..."

She weakly tried to reach out to it. It was far away, and the world seemed so much mellower now, like she could just close her eyes and forget everything. Just close her eyes, and fall into the black abyss she was standing at the edge of. She was about to do so, when it felt like something pulled her back, away from the blackness. As she was railed in, she saw the world become bigger, from those tiny particles to water on the ground to blades of wheat swaying softly in the wind. The voice was still far off, but it was closer, like she had been pulled upwards out of a river. She watched the wheat sway in the wind, she was so tired, feeling the warmth of the earth and two arms cradling her head. She tried to say something, but her words could not flow as she fell into a blissful sleep.

Michael watched as she fell limp into his arms, her thoughts were still present; Michael silently breathed a shuddering relived breath. She wasn't lost or dead, but he felt her fatigue, she must have used a lot of energy. Will said nothing; even he knew this probably wasn't the time for discussing the events. Instead he silently shut down some of the machines and helped Michael back to the house. Michael laid melody in the bed, gently adjusting the covers. He pulled up a wooden chair and sat by her, it was hours before he moved from his silent gazing. Placing his head in his hands he muttered one word, filled with loss and guilt

"Dammit"

He sat there for the whole night, never moving from his spot, funny what love could do to a person. It was a force that was a polar opposite in itself. It could create something beautiful and destroy it the same. It could make a person care for themselves, or let them rot for the need of others. It was something that man never could see or solve something that was distorted so much and shrouded in so much controversy, that it shouldn't exist. It was impossible. Yet here it was, wasting a man away in a cold wooden chair. It was like melody was, impossible, yet existent. A personification of love? Maybe, but for now she was all he had in life. It was his curse and his strength, that she was his only one that he could love back, but strengthened him in doing so.

It was only when melody stirred, he moved, he had fallen into a light doze, one that provided him no real rest. His head was lying on the side of the bed as melody slowly tried to sit up, she propped herself up against the headboard of the bed, looking over at Michael. Words weren't needed to tell how he felt. She gently stroked his course, brown hair; trying to calm him.

"I thought I'd lost you" he said, hoarsely. "You started to scream in pain, rolling around on the ground. I thought you were going to die"

Melody looked down slightly

"I think I was about to, It felt like I was standing on the edge of an endless cliff." She said "but then something pulled e back, like a hand on my shoulder, and I woke up with you"

Michael looked up at her

"I tried to reach out to you, I don't know how, but I tried to reach you through that mental link""Michael said, letting out shuddering breath "Please don't try anything like that again"

"But did it work?" She asked quietly

"Quite well, actually" Said a familiar voice. She looked over to see will was standing in the doorway, balancing his laptop in one hand. How long he had been there was anyone's guess. He set his laptop on the dresser and turned to them.

"The tachyon levels jumped soon after you started. There wasn't enough energy to create a wormhole but the crack has widened substantially, it's emitting more energy now than it ever has. If she tries again, she might be able to succeed"

"No" was Michal curt response "I am not going to let her be put in that danger again"

"Michael...if I don't-" Melody as cut off

"We can find another way" he said, voice strong but not raised "I don't want to losing you again, I might not be able to pull you back this time"

She felt the determination emanating off him, but he was hiding something, some deep down emotion that ran stronger than his determination. It was as if...

"Michael.." she said quietly "is it really because you fear for me, or because you don't want me to leave?"

He faltered slightly upon hearing this, she was his only person who kept him company and that he enjoyed having around, it hadn't been his intent but maybe it was unknown to him. It seemed selfish, even to him, but such a feeling was dulled by the love he felt for her.

"I..." Michael began, trying to formulate an answer that could defend him, but in the end it just collapsed into one long and tired sigh. Checkmate, he was beaten, his plan unveiled even if he was unaware of the plan originally.. Melody was hard to read as he looked into her eyes, sadness maybe? Betrayal? Even the mental link offered no help as she shielded her thoughts.

Their talk was interrupted by a high pitched beeping noise coming from Wills laptop. He quickly turned the screen around and looked over the data. He paled slightly as she realised what it was.

Oh no..." he croaked

"What is it?" melody asked, rather urgently

"The tachyon levels have dropped...completely" he said slowly "They're gone, nothing at all"

"It's gone!" Michael yelled

"Y...yes" he said "I...I have no idea how, though, it's not like something to just disappear like that, even in the quantum world"

There was a crack of lightning outside the window, illuminating the dark room for a split second. None of them realised how stormy it had gotten. Dark clouds rushed over the sky, being propelled by the savage wind. It was a strong and black storm, the likes of which Michael had never seen before. He moved over to the windows, pulling back the curtains completely. The moment he did, everyone gasped at what they saw. Large black clouds being sucked towards a huge blue glowing sphere, wind screaming as it as devoured, lightning flashing all around. Orange light fuelled by flames, rose in the distance giving the whole scene a contrasting and terrifying quality. Things were being sucked into the giant sphere and other blown back out. Debris was falling everywhere, being carried by the wind. A large chunk of concrete sent a small shock thought the house as it thumped onto the wheat field, a few other things raining down behind it. One of which, Michael could swear looked like a pokeball. It was a giant portal. Hovering over the land, sucking in anything it could find. If this was happening here, no doubt there would be just as much turmoil in Melody's world. The whole storm showed no signs of stopping as they stood before the window, mouths agape.

"There's your problem" Michael responded


	7. Chapter 7

The portal had been open for over ten minutes now and showed no signs of closing. For a while, they all just stood in shock, staring at the huge rip in space as it sucked up various objects and materials and spew others out at the same time. Melody and Michael turned to will, who was still enthralled by the blue ball in the sky. When he noticed their looks, he shook his head and began to sputter, trying to think of how to begin to explain this. Even he wondered what it all meant, there was only guessing and theory now to guide him onto what caused this.

"Why is this happening?" melody asked "why now, why not before?"

"I don't know...you couldn't have caused this alone" he said, pacing over the creaking wooden floorboards "There isn't any force on earth that could naturally do this"

"But it's there! And we were the only ones who knew anything of it!" Michael said "What's going to happen now? Is it going to close and seal the two worlds off again?"

Michael tried to think this over in the short amount of time before will came up with an answer. First one portal had opened, bringing melody with it. Then another on the other side of the world, dropping a Cyndaquill onto a farmers lap, now this huge opening. There wasn't even a pattern to it all, random and chaotic, as Will called it. And what to do now? Stay here and risk getting caught? No doubt the military would be the first thing to respond to this. A "threat" to America, a country in which the military often fired first and asked questions later, would be absolved with guns. They would be trying to exterminate all creatures that come through that gate, maybe capture a few for study, but either way Melody was in danger. Will began to answer his question

"There is nothing in my work that constitutes portals of this size!" he said "dimensions shifting around, occasionally interacting on a quantum scale. To have something like this would requi-" he stopped there, deep thought shown etched onto his brow. He went through many expressions when he was thinking; Shock, horror, fear, despair, realisation. He stumbled slightly and lost his balance, trying to grab hold of the dresser but taking his laptop down with it. The smashing of the screen didn't even faze him and he sat on the ground, looking like a doll drained of its colour.

"c-collapse" he said shakily

"What?" Michael asked

"c-complete and utter collapse" he said "The dimensions are at the point where they are close enough to merge"

"W...what does that mean?" Melody asked cautiously

"It means that...our two worlds will become one" Will said, trying to lift himself off of the floor "Everything will be sucked in to one new dimension...land, oceans, stars...everything"

Michael didn't know what to say, let alone what to do. Only one thing came to his mind at the moment. Run. Something bad would be happening soon, they had to get as far away as possible, make sure no one sees them. Maybe if they were far enough away, they would miss most of the inevitable war that was to break out soon. He walked to the closet and began grabbing random clothes, anything as long as it fitted, was taken.

"What are you doing, Michael? Melody asked as she looked over at him oddly

"We have to leave" Michael said

"Why?" she asked again, this place was an anchor for her, the one hope of getting home. And now they were having to leave?

"The army will be coming soon. Men with guns with cut off any routes of escape and shut down all the roads. We need to move while they don't know what's hit them" Michael said, throwing all the clothes into a suitcase, and then trying to help will up from the ground. Will was still shaken, how Michael managed to keep himself calm was a mystery, maybe it was all the time around these strange phenomena.

"But this is your home! Our home!" she cried "We've been here for as long as I came to this world, and now we're just abandoning it!"

"If we don't get out of here, they will kill you!" Michael said an angry sadness in his voice "You're a threat to them! The human race can be a hostile one"

"You're not hostile" she said quietly

"Well...I...I guess I'm different" Michael said. Different. That word struck so many emotions in him. He had always been seen as different, treated as different, felt different. Like he was separate from the human race, a race of self destructive idiots, and what was he? A man who wanted nothing more than someone whom he could love, a thing so many others wanted but cared not for who they trampled to get it. And in melody, he thought he had found that. But how can he and her stay together when all this is happening? They were now both dangers to each other. Why? Why couldn't they just be left alone? Left alone to live a quiet and loving life of their own, without this new war coming to smash their dreams. Not just melody's dreams, but Michael's as well.

"Please..."just do as I say, I don't want you to get hurt again...I really don't" he said "I won't stop you from going home if it comes to that...but please...don't hurt yourself for now" his words carried love and heartbreak as melody slowly rose from the bed and walked over to him. She wrapped her arms around his waist and pulled close to him, Feeling the beat of his heart, something that would never fade for her.

"Okay Michael...Okay" She said slowly "Let's get going, find a new home for us"

Michael smiled, leaning down to gently kiss melody on the forehead. He took the suitcase and threw in a few more random items, before ushering them all down the stairs. He grabbed as much tinned food as he could from his pantry and loaded it into the back of Will's car, trying to get all they would need for survival; he also grabbed his sketchbook and a few pencils. Such a thing would allow him to record their travels, and keep sane. As he and melody gathered the last things and loaded them into the car, they stood in the doorway for a few seconds, saying goodbye to the old home. The place that they had both called a sanctuary was a sanctuary no longer, its old walls seemed to creak in sorrow as they shut the door, and slowly, left the house they loved.

Will sat in the backseat, while melody as Michael took the front. Michael started the car and put it into gear. The old machine grunted as it lurched forward, down the gravel road. They came to the end of the gravel and hit tarmac, turning onto the main road. The roads were deserted at the moment. Everyone was probably trying to stay indoors, sheltering from the storm. They drove, thoughts filled their minds. Where would they go? Who would they meet? Where will they end up? Will wondered what would happen to the world now, melody wondered what she and Michael's relationship would come to now, and Michael wondered how he could keep them all safe. They drove for hours, eventually hitting the open fields, various farmhouses were scattered throughout the area. Michael only stopped once at an abandoned gas station to refill the petrol tank. Thankfully, the pumps were still active and no one was around, theft was the last thing on his mind right now. They also took a few things from the station itself, mostly foods and tinned goods. As the dusk loomed on the horizon, Michael spoke up.

"We need to find a place to sleep" he said, weariness in his voice "We could camp in the woods"

"What woods?" will said, looking out the window at the rolling fields "this is a farming area"

"Good point" Michael said, mentally cursing his stupidity "maybe one of the buildings, everything abandoned.

"But someone could find us" Melody said "They're bound to come back"

Michael sighed; the exhaustion was getting to him. He looked around. They had entered a small town, but everyone had clearly already left. No cars, no people, the place was a ghost town. He spied an underground car park. The barrier was broken but it looked like it led to a good amount of cover. Michael pulled the car off the road, driving down into the underground cavern. He found a place near the wall futurist from the entrance and parked the car. He hopped out and ran to the entrance; he yanked the chain gate down over the entrance, securing the area. He walked back to the car; melody and will were out already, stretching their legs a bit.

"We'll be safe in here...hopefully" he said as he turned the ignition off "for now we should get some rest"

"Good idea" said will "we can keep going in the morning, find some sort of safe house"

"That'll be tough in these conditions" Michael said, he and melody climbed into the back seat of the old car. Will took front seat and laid his head back against the headrest, falling to sleep rather easily. Melody and Michael lay down in the back, arms wrapped around each other, savouring the warmth between them as they drifted off to sleep.

Michael was awoken by a loud crashing noise just as dawn was breaking. Melody and Will were still asleep, but the banging noise came again with a slight creaking this time. Michael got up and opened the car door, looking out to the gate. With a loud crash and bang, the gate fell before his sight, revealing three silhouettes. He stepped out of the car and moved to the wall, ducking into the shadow, hoping not to be noticed. The three silhouettes moved forward and scattered through the parking lot. He heard one of them yell

"Anything you find, jus' take. Anyone you find just, beat them and take their shit"

Michael realised from the pitch of the voice that these three must only be around eighteen. Great, crazed youths, just what he didn't need now. He slowly ducked in front of the bonnet of the car as one began to move towards it. The boy squinted into the shadows before calling out

"Hey! There's someone's car here!"

His friends turned and ran towards the car; Michael silently thanked himself for closing the door. The three youths moved in and peeked into the windows, catching sight of Will and Melody

"Jus' some old fart and one of the freaks" he said "wakey wakey!" he raised a baseball bat and poised himself to strike the window. Michael leapt from the shadows and quickly delivered a punch to the jaw, sending the boy reeling backwards. He quickly moved to swing at other of the boys, connecting with his gut, but missed the third coming up behind him. He felt a thud run through his body as the boy punched the back of his head, ending in splitting pain. He blindly swung to hit the boy, but missed and ran into the car instead. The jolt awoke both melody and Will, they looked put to see will trying to fight off three kids, but failing. Will quickly opened his door and jumped out. He grabbed one of the kids and tried to pull him away, but an elbow met with his mouth and he fell back. Melody also bounded out of the car, pushing one of the boys away via telekinesis, he skidded across the tarmac. Michael managed to regain his bearings and delivered another punch to the second boy, sending him stumbling back a few steps. The third was nowhere to be seen, but a shriek brought Michael attention to his location. He was holding Melody by the waist, a knife aimed at her throat.

"First, I'm gonna kill her, then I'm gonna kill all of yous'!" He yelled, pulling the knife closer. He pulled the knife back and thrust down. A spray of red mist erupted from his head before it could connect. A large hole in the middle of his forehead and a shocked expression on his face, he fell back and hit the ground, blood pouring from the wound.

Michael turned to see another silhouette holding a smoking rifle near the entrance. Holding a large bore smoking rifle aimed at them. He lowered it and yelled to them

"Come on, come on! Those others will wake up soon!" he said. Michael ran to melody and helped her up; she was trembling slightly as he carried her to the entrance, will following behind. The man who had called them was a tall one, with fiery auburn hair and a strong face. He was dressed in a black shirt and pants, a white colour around his neck. He spoke quickly, as if the situation was about to get worse.

"I take it you're looking for some place to stay, so follow me and keep low, I'll take you to a safe house" he said. He turned and took off without another word, Michael and Will followed close behind. They ran for about five minutes before turning into a small church, the entrance was only a painted wooden door, but it had numerous bars across it, all ending with a great iron padlock. The man produced a key and opened the door, removing the iron bars and bringing them inside with him. Michael and will hurried in as he set the bars up along matching lines on the inside of the door. Michael sat melody on one of the pews and sat beside her, she hugged close to him, still shaken from the fight. Will stayed standing and waited for the man to finish barricading the door. When he had he turned to him and grinned a very large grin, his face stretched as if it had been worn down by years of use.

"Sorry for the scare" he began "A couple of boys hung around town, hoping to score some free things from abandoned homes and such" he spoke with a slight Irish accent

"Who are you?" will asked cautiously, this man was holding up in a church with a gun and shooting off stray people, very suspicious in will opinion.

"Oh how rude of me, Father McCarthy at your service" he said, moving towards the front of the small wooden church, past the old worn out candles and stray prayer books. "Most of my friends call me Tom, though"

"A gun wielding priest?" Michael mused; the man hesitated slightly, as if lost in the words.

"Just defending myself and others. "And ye who kills by the sword shall perish by the sword"" he said fluently, quoting scripture to emphasise his point. Reached under the alter and placed his rifle there. "May I offer you some food? I got plenty of it"

Michael was about to refuse, but his stomach betrayed him, growling intensely. The priest chuckled and ducked into a small office at the end of the hall, returning with some canned fruit and beef jerky.

"Help yourself" he said heartily, sitting on one the pews and taking a bite of some of the jerky himself. Michael opened a tin of fruit and handed it to melody, along with the small plastic spoon that came with the tin. He and will grabbed some too and began to eat, noticing the priest saying a quick prayer before he did so, odd for a man who had just killed someone. They ate in silence, but halfway through Michaels curiosity got the better of him and he spoke up.

"Why did everyone flee from here?" he asked "It's a long way off from that large portal"

"You think that was the only area affected?" the man laughed "We had many a thing happen here, even if it was only for a few minutes. Creatures appeared, everyone got scared"

"Then why are you still here?" Will cut in

"I thought I'd say in the church and help anyone who came along, people need hope in these sorts of times" he said, with a slight weariness in his voice "I couldn't just abandon this old church, I've been here too long"

Michael knew how he felt, having lost his home of over five years, the place grows on you...becomes part of the family. He noticed something odd about the priest though.

"You were handy with that gun, father" he said, a slight incriminating inflection in his voice

"Please call me Tom..." he said, skimping around the question "Shooting is a hobby of mine" he said

"I didn't see a rifle range"

"-birds mainly" he said quickly. "Now can I ask you a question?"

"Shoot" said Michael, aware of his ironic choice of words.

"Why are you travelling with that creature?" he asked curiously "she doesn't act like any of the ones I've seen"

Michael sighed and began to recount the story of what had happened over the past two weeks. HE told him of the portals, how will came in offering help, how he and melody had fallen for each other. The priest was rather taken aback by this but continued to listen. He told them of the giant portal opening and how they were now running and trying to find a new home. As Michael finished, the priest leaned back and slowly thought about it all.

"You really love her?" he asked "even though she isn't human?"

"Yes, with all my heart" Michael said, melody slowly smiled at this "If you don't care for it then please just put up with it"

"My boy, I've seen many an odd couple in my years" he said in a father like tone "This is by far the strangest, but It sounds like you love her as if she was human, and that's good enough for me" a slight look of sorrow crossed his face quickly, but Michael recognised it just as fast

Michael was sure this man was hiding something. But before he could wonder further, a burning smell caught his nostrils. The scent became heavy in the air as the priest rose and walked to one of the windows. He gasped as he a large group of boys standing outside; throwing what looked like wine bottles. A loud crash and a burst of fire leapt through one of the windows

"They're throwing Molotov cocktails!" He said as he ran to the rear of the alter again. He leaned down and grabbed his gun, along with several others. He a pump action shotgun to Michael and an ungodly large pistol in Will. They both caught them clumsily but managed not to set them off. The priest grabbed a few more guns as well as a grenade or two from below the altar and climbed up a ladder on one of the walls, unlocking a roof hatch.

"What kind of priest is he?" Michael wondered, a man of God packing so much firepower.

"Come on!" He called to them, beckoning them to follow. Will went up first, followed by Michael and then melody. As they ducked onto the roof, the priest motioned for them to get down; they did so as he took a place by the steeple, aiming into the group. He fired a warning shot, throwing dirt up in front of the boys. But they reacted by pulling out their own firearms, mostly pistols, and began to fire upwards while hooting and hollering. The priest ducked behind the steeple next to Michael, reloading his large weapon. This was not the man Michael had talked too; his eyes were hard and focused, scanning the battlefield for any opening. He reached back and fired, hitting one of the boys square in the chest. Melody was launching random objects at the group, bricks, logs, paint cans, anything would do. She tried to confuse them, but they just fired randomly up at the roof. Will was trying to aim at one boy, slowly counting to three before pulling the trigger. The blast was large enough to send the pistol back, whacking Will in the face. Michael turned to the priest and yelled over the gunfire

"What the hell is going on?"

"We're being shot at" he replied matter-of-fact

"I know that! But what kind of priest keeps an armada of guns in his church!" Michael yelled, he pointed the gun out from the steeple and fire randomly into the crowd, realising he hit something after a yell of pain was heard.

"To be honest, I wasn't doing the Lords work all my life" he said, pulling the pin from a grenade and throwing it behind him. A yell was heard and the cluster scattered as he aimed from the ones broken off from the group. "I was in a mercenary guild first, a sniper to be precise"

He reloaded, slipping five new bullets into the gun

"I'm not proud of that life" he said, sorrow in his voice "and I hate to have to return to it now"

Michael looked back and saw that only two boys remained. Michael aimed and fired as one lifted another Molotov, dropping it as the pellets impacted on his body. The other youth was running for his life, already three hundred yards away from the church. The priest aimed and stilled his breath, firing the gun as a loud bang erupted. The bullet travelled through the air and hit the boy right in the head, shredding bone and flesh. Michael was amazed that he didn't even have a scope on the gun.

Michael leaned back as he allowed himself to relax, the adrenaline wearing off slowly. But something new caught his attention, the smell of smoke. The priest slapped himself as he realised they were now trapped on top of a burning building, the flame licking at the roof. Melody looked down over the edge; Michael wondered what she was doing before he saw her jump.

"Melody!" He yelled. His heart jumping as he scrambled to the edge, looking down for her. He was surprised when he was lifted off the roof along with Will and Tom. He scanned the scene and law melody concentrating on them, her brows furrowed, as they were slowly brought down to earth. He gasped as he touched the ground and was realised from Melody's psychic grip. He lay there for a few seconds before slowly rising and surveying the area. Melody too looked out among the bodies of the dead, her expression slowly turning to a look of regret. Tears welled up in her eyes as she began to sob slowly, bloody ground staining her white dress. Michael sat down next to her and pulled her close, allowing her to sob into his chest. He too let out a few tears, is this what their new life would be like? Pillaging and killing when needed? Becoming strong and killing the weak to survive? He didn't want that life for them. He looked out over the street now bathed in the blue morning light

"What do we do now?" he croaked

"Keep moving, find a safe area..." Tom said remorsefully "Christ, I'm going to miss that old church"

As they started their way back to the car, various birds circled over the corpses of the battle, a grim reminder of their first real battle for survival, and a reminder that there may be many more to come.


	8. Chapter 8

Everyone made their way back to the garage, hoping to leave the memories of the morning behind when they left. Tom stopped over the body of the fallen youths, now stinking bloated corpses in the shadows. He raised his arm in the motion of a cross and uttered a small prayer over the bodies, strange to do when it was you who killed them, but obviously he felt remorse over what he had to do. They all took their places in the car, Michael and melody in the front and Tom and Will in the back. Michael started the engine and drove out of the car park, back onto the open road. Hoping to keep travelling for as long as they could and reach some place safe, Tom didn't say a word throughout the ride, lost in thought and staring out the window. Michael supposed that a sudden reversion to a forgotten life could do that to a man. Wondering just how many the man had killed in his lifetime, and how many he may have to kill next. They eventually hit a dense forest with a main road carving its way through it. Large trees and bushes lined the road, towering over the car.

It wasn't until they were roughly twenty miles that they encountered other people, walking along the side of the road, following each other like blind servants. They looked grimly at the car, a slight hope in their eyes that was dashed when Michael drove by, continuing to plod on their endless trek. One boy was holding a small purple rat, a Pokémon he must have befriended, seeming harmless enough. Michael wondered if that boy had befriended a Pokémon, would there be others. A group of people who thought them just lost and confused as they were in this new world. It was a double edged idea, the hope of a normal life in a group like that, yet the hatred of the other group of xenophobic humans. Michael hadn't seen many other Pokémon in the world say far, he guessed they were hiding from humans, the natural thing to do in such a situation, especially when they may kill you. Melody looked out at the people too, not many of them noticed her, too enthralled by the hope of rescue. She felt their hope, their fear, and their emotions of being in such a helpless state. It was a horrible thing to witness. She knew they felt as she did when she first entered this world, lost and confused, scratching anywhere for a way out. Sorrow struck her like a lead weight as she was reminded of everything that was happening, taking in what this all really meant, what it could cause. Michael drove past them and continued for nearly three more miles before spotting something up ahead. Vans parked over a small bridge to the other side of a river, camouflage covered draped over them. A few of them sported large looking guns attached to the railings. It was the army. They had finally mobilized, but everything looked slightly mismatched. Truck where haphazardly parked, men where wandering with confused looks, apparently they weren't very organised yet. One of men waved them down.

"Shit" Michael muttered "Melody, hide under the seat"

Melody whimpered slightly in fear as she hastily slid under the gap between the seat and the dashboard, trying to hide from sight. Michael slowly pulled up to the man who was waving them down. He was dressed in a camo suit and carrying a nasty looking M16. He walked over the open car window and leaned in slightly

"Sorry sir, can't let any civilians past this point" he said in a rather stern voice

"Why not?" Michael asked tenderly

"Government scientists may suspect that unknown bacteria was brought through those portals that keep popping up" he explained, standing slightly "This area is under quarantine protocols. No one is allowed out"

"Have they found any bacteria yet?" Michael asked, probing further, trying to sound innocent

"That information is..." he was cut off by a sharp cry of pain, they looked over to see one soldier rubbing his head where there was a large welt. A small purple monkey creature was throwing stones from the braches of a tree along the road. One of the soldiers by the blockage angry grabbed a gun and aimed for it, pulling the trigger. Three loud bangs echoed as the bullets were launched from the chamber, a high pitched squeak as they impacted and a thud as the creature fell to the ground, dead. Melody sharply gasped as she heard this

"Damn little buggers have been us trouble since they arrived" the soldier said, Michael watched in disgust as one of the soldier kicked the corpse of the small Pokémon "but we can deal with them. To be honest they're more monstrous than any bacteria can be, now you'll have to turn back and find some place to stay, we have orders not to let anyone through"

Michael glared at the soldier before putting the car into reverse and leaving the area, the scene still fresh in his mind. Melody came up from under the seat as she panted slightly, fear slowing losing its grip on her mind. She shakily asked

"Where do we go now?"

Michael sighed as he drove a look of defeat on his face; they had to get past that blockade. Why? He didn't know, but there was a niggling idea to get as far as possible from anyone else. Find a safe place that could never be lost to them.

"We can camp in the woods and think about what to do" he said, turning off onto a dirt road that looked like it hadn't been taken in years. The gravel dinged against the car as it a thrown up by the wheels, Michael constantly surveying the scenery for some spot to camp. He realised after a while that the road was following the river, twisting and turning with it. This could prove useful. He pulled over the side, rubbing his tired face, turned to face everyone.

"We can sleep here tonight, it's out of the way enough, plus we have a fresh water supply" he said "and we could use a wash anyway" he chuckled hollowly

They spent the rest of the day sitting by the river, thinking of different plans that would help them. Tom was coming up with most of the ideas, being the most experienced in these sorts of 'planning's'. Most of his plans involved trying to separate the soldiers and to ram their way through the barrier, but the soldiers had guns which could cut the car up within seconds. They couldn't sneak past the point and leave the car; it was too valuable right now. And even if they did manage to make it past, what then? Being chased by armoured vehicles and men with rifles bent of killing the "monstrous" creatures. They would be hunted endlessly. Every plan led to failure, despite the armies' disorganisation right now, brute force always seemed to triumph in the end. It was a cruel idea but a true one. As the sun set, tom leaned back on a tree, trying to think of something he hadn't thought of already. His pants clinked as he leaned back, making him straighten up slightly. He removed the items from his pockets. Four explosive grenades, he must have forgotten all about them when they were driving. A new plan slowly formed in his mind, twisting and scheming. The odds were still low, but better than everything else.

"That just might work" he muttered, returning to the group by the river. Michael was idly throwing stones as he approached. He spoke up

"I think I've got a plan that'll stop them from following us, and get us through along with the car" he said confidently, commanding a certain respect. Michael looked at the metal object he held.

"Oh please don't say it..."

"We blow up the bridge after driving through" he said, ignoring Michaels protest "If I can get under the bridge without them noticing and I place these on the bridge supports, we can detonate them after we're over, giving us enough time to escape and make sure that they don't follow"

Michael groaned, not liking this plan already. Melody looked slightly cautious about it all, but she tried to calm herself and hear it out, if it would help them get away. Will was giving the man an odd look, as if he was questioning if they we're _trying_ to get killed now, Michael spotted the flaw in the plan immediately.

"How can we detonate the grenades when we have no one to pull the pins?" he asked, tom smiled slyly, having thought that part out a well.

"When we we're fighting off that mob, I saw Melody levitating objects, and doing the same to us to get us off the roof" he said "If she can pull the pins as we drive over the bridge, we'll have about five seconds to get away before the bridge goes down"

"I can do that" melody said, saying the next words softly "but...will anyone be hurt?"

"It's doubtful that they'll run after us, and even more so that they get the trucks running before the grenades go off. I'm sure no one will be hurt"

"What about the guns?" Will asked "They could cut us down in a matter of seconds!"

"A man can't aim that fast, and if they can..." he stopped there, swallowing a lump of fear "then I can shoot faster"

Melody looked away slightly. She didn't want death, only peace for herself and Michael. It was odd that the one thing that could send her home was now tearing apart this world and trying to separate her and Michael. A spiteful fate to be sure. The sun was just starting to set now, darkness peaking at the edges of the water. Tom spoke again

"If we want to do this, we'd best do it at night, that way they won't see us well and won't know our faces. So try to get some sleep now, because tonight we're going to have some fireworks"

Michael drove up to the checkpoint, where most of the guards were now sleeping or playing card games, not much else to do in a remote point like this. His job was to distract the main captain so Tom could rig the grenades. Tom was waiting for the sound of the car at the base of the bridge, knowing that was the time to strike. The soldier flagged him down again as he approached, Michael pulled over to the side of the road and got out of the car. The captain approached him with an exhausted look on his face; he had been turning people back all day despite wanting to leave himself.

"I've told you that we can't let anyone across sir" he said to Michael, his voice slightly strained from fatigue

"Are you sure?" Michael asked "That bacteria thing sounds pretty farfetched"

"It's not my decision, it's the governments" he said

"But wouldn't I be sick otherwise?"

"Wouldn't I be too?" the captain said, sighing deeply "sir, even I don't believe in this whole bacteria deal but the rules are the same, we can't allow anyone out for security reasons"

"What reasons?" Michael asked persistently "We're just trying to get away from that thing!" Michael pointed to the now faint spot of blue on the horizon, the original super portal, still raging in all its glory. Spewing anything it brought in, out onto the unsuspecting town. God knows how the other world was dealing with it.

"Look sir, I'm sorry, I would rather be home too" the captain said, lines on his face growing deeper "But those creatures are running everywhere and people may do something stupid" he removed his gun and leaned on of the military jeeps, rubbing the bridge of his nose.

"To be honest, this whole thing is a joke to me" he said "These creatures don't seem to mean any harm, they're just attacking cause their scarred, we're doing the same". The soldier pulled out a cigarette and lit it using a pack of waterproof matches, stamping the match out on the ground.

"You don't want them dead?" Michael asked slowly, trying not to arouse suspicion.

"No, hell, some of them are kinda cute when you look at them" he said "I got my orders and have to follow them even if I disagree, that what soldiers do"

Michael leaned back on the car bonnet, letting himself relax a little, feeling less nervous now than when he had arrived

"So what do you think they'll do about it?" he asked

"Probably capture 'em, study 'em, and maybe try to exterminate them" he said, a grim look on his face "But if they do, I think it's going to erupt into an all out war. Have you seen what some of those things can do? I heard about of them melting a tank with its breath, everyone's gonna be scrambling to get that power"

"So, world war three over weapons basically" Michael said, running his hands through his hair

"Yeah...And to make things worse, if someone does get that power, then the death toll will be even worse. Soldiers and civilians being killed left and right. I remember one boy brought one purple rat like thing here when his group tried to get across. It was pretty docile, but it chewed through one of our tires, that takes some strong teeth to do. And that's only the bottom of the chain. There ones out that can blow things up with their minds or shoot razor sharp blades"

"Do you know what they are?" Michael asked, the soldier chuckled and brought out a game boy from his jacket pocket, obviously it had travelled quite a bit, having dents and smudges on the plastic. The game inserted was Pokémon Emerald.

"It's damn crazy, but I know they're basically Pokémon. I mean its fiction yet here we are, living the nightmare" he said laughing slightly "I bet kids all over the world are celebrating while adults are wondering what's going on"

Michael nodded slightly in agreement. It was crazy when you looked at it like that, he'd been normalised to it thanks to melody.

"Heck, maybe some people will come 'outta that thing" he said "It'd be interesting to meet someone who's lived with them, must be a shock to them for us to not have them. Maybe they could help without causing a new war"

"I doubt that'd be impressed if they ran into the military" Michael said, looking over the men, tired and restless.

"As long as they don't try shoot us, we won't shoot them" the captain said "But I'm more afraid of what my men will do if they see another human with one of 'em"

Michael felt a pit in his gut, it would be nigh impossible to find sympathisers if Pokémon were looked on as freaks, they'd all be too scared to come out. It was normal of course, that humanity feared the unknown, but when it doesn't just fear but lashes out, that is when the hammer of war will fall.

Michael checked his watch cautiously, five minutes had passed, more than enough time to lay the grenades. Michael handed the captain back the gameboy and got back in his car.

"Yeah, this whole thing is...crazy" he said. The starting of the car calmed him as he began to pull away from the captain "Stay safe"

"You too sir" the captain said as Michael drove off, back to the camp. The captain didn't know how much weight those words actually carried. He would find out soon enough though and Michael hoped he would heed them.

Melody slipped off her dress and entered the water in a small area of the river away from the others. She gasped at how cold the water was, although it didn't surprise her, the water back at her home had been about the same temperature. She began to wash her skin, ridding it of the dirt and sweat that had built up over the days of running. In a way it was refreshing, but she'd much rather have had a warm shower back at the house, sighing at the fond memory of the place. It was where she had met Michael, and fell in love with him over the two weeks they were there. He was caring and protective, not like the Gallades back home who tried to impress with strength and power. She remembered the beautiful song they had sung together back on that hill, overlooking the village. Her ears perked up as she realised that she wasn't hearing a memory, but Michael's voice singing a soft tune. She turned to see him ten measures way, looking up at the stars, apparently oblivious of her presence. His hair curled into its natural shape even though it was wet, twisting and turning in all directions, like a lion's mane. He wasn't built like a Machoke, but was rather lanky. Arms showing but the tiniest fraction of muscle under the skin. Despite this, she remembered how strong he felt when he held her. To her, he was perfect, inside and out

"...Michael?" she called out, snapping him out of his trance, he blinked once then looked over. She embarrassedly put her arms over her front, forgetting she was nude. He stuttered a bit then looked away. She cursed herself for creating the awkwardness.

"Sorry Melody" he said "I didn't realise you were there"

"That's okay" she said "I actually like listening to your singing" Michael chuckled slightly. She moved closer, dipping beneath the water to cover herself. The darkness wasn't enough due to the moonlight reflecting down onto the water. She moved beside him and let out a tired breath.

"Where are we going to go?" she asked hopelessly "It's like the world's fallen apart since I joined you"

"It's not your fault..." he began, but she kept talking

"Yes it is, when I got here, everything went downhill. These stupid portals, the worlds colliding, if I hadn't appeared, you'd all still be safe with your life" she said sadly "If hadn't shown up, no one would have died, you'd be happy living back in that old house and I'd have continued to be safe in my world"

She placed her head in her hands, everything up to this point seemed a blur, but now that she had some time to stop and think about everything it all seemed so much. The death, the threats, the running. It had all stemmed from her arrival. Michael took a hold of her hands and gently moved them away from her face

"This isn't your fault" he began again "you did nothing to cause this. Even if you hadn't arrived, it would have still happened" He placed a hand on her cheek "But I'm glad you did arrive. I love you melody, you give me purpose in life. Before you came along, I was depressed and hated life completely. I locked myself away from everyone and everything. But you are the one person I can open up to, the one person I can really feel love for, and I would do anything to protect you. We will find a place where we can be together, and then I'll show you just how much I really love you"

Melody smiled, fear and self loathing forgotten, Michael seemed to have that effect on her.

"Thank you" she said softly. Without thinking, she moved closer and pressed her lips to his. Michael was slightly taken back, but did the same. They put everything they could and more into that kiss, enjoying the feeling of warmth and compassion they got from it. Michael drew melody in close and held her as they kissed, feeling the love flow through the mental link. It felt like a great warm blanket spread over both of them, entwining their minds and thoughts. As they broke, they stared tenderly into each other's eyes, as if looking into their souls. The mental connection lingered on the deepest level even after they broke, making them feel more together than ever. Michael embraced her tightly, feeling that she'd drift away if he didn't, like she was his only anchor to this world now. Melody savoured this calm moment in a now hectic world, she loved him, and she didn't care what the world thought or what he looked like. She loved him for the person he was, and that was all Michael ever wanted in a woman. Slowly they pulled away; knowing the time to move was fast approaching. They made their way back to the shore, parting before the water exposed them, and gathered their clothes.

When they had returned to the car, tom was sitting on the ground, back against a tree. Will was snoozing in the back of the car, woken the noise Michael made as he rapped on the window.

"The grenades are set by the pillars of the bridge, it was dark so I didn't have much trouble placing them" Tom said, loading his pack back into the boot of the car before taking out a rifle and taking a seat in the back. Michael and melody got in the front and started the car, the iron beast shuddering as they left the gravel road, like a bad omen. Tom told them the details quickly, trying to get it done before they got there

"The grenades are placed on the pillars bases, so when melody pulls the pulls out, we'll have five seconds to get off the bridge" he said, cocking the rifle with a ominous clack "Melody, pull the pins when we're halfway across the bridge, we'll make it over that way and not give them time to chase us"

"What do we do then? Michael asked, always trying to think ahead, watching carefully for any potential openings in their plan. One wrong move could spell death.

"We drive, simple as that" tom responded plainly.

Michael felt fear in his gut, he wasn't a fighter, and he had never wanted a life of running. But now things had changed, trading his calm life for the love of his life, it was an exchange he would have to accept. As they drove, Michael looked up through the windshield at the stars, admiring their majesty. The light omitted from them and the moon illuminated the road ahead, casting shadows that leapt at the car. Eventually they reached the bridge, with only four explosives and some wooden blockades between them and their path. The bridge glowed from the floodlights that shone over the area. Michael slowed the car and drove as quietly as possible until he was just out of range of the light. The soldiers would be blinded by the light right now, not able to see him, but he saw the area perfectly. Tom counted down form three. Michaels heart boomed in his ears in time with the calls, melody felt this too. Their connection was strong, held together by fear, for each other and the others.

As tom hit zero, Michael floored the car, hearing the tires screech as they shot out of the darkness. Two men jumped out of the way of the car as they saw he wasn't stopping, yelling out obscenities at their luck. The captain's face flashed in Michael's mind, time pausing as they passed, taking in the detail of their expressions. The car shuddered and jolted as the wooden barriers smashed under a tonne of force propelled into them, sending wooden fleck everywhere. Michael looked back and saw the captain raise his gun, aiming through the iron sights. His aim quivered for a minute before he adjusted the gun a minute amount to the left and fired. Melody ducked as she saw the mirror by her window shatter and spark. He had intentionally missed them; Michael thanked his luck that he had felt something for them. Halfway over the bridge, only a few seconds had passed but it felt like an hour of slow crawling. Melody gained a faint blue outline as she mentally plucked the pins from the grenades, now Michael really drove, knowing they would go off within seconds. Will was bumped up and down in his seat; he turned to see one man lifting one of the trucks mounted machine gun, Will wanted to duck but he was frozen in fear of the large weapon. Tom leaned out the window and fired a spray of bullets at the man, none hitting, but sparking the gun enough to make him duck. Beneath the bridge, the spring of the grenade drove the fuse down into the chemical glycerine mixture, setting off a fiery chain reaction. Time stood still as the shockwave shook the car as bricks from the pillars erupted from behind the car, sending the soldiers scattering at the sudden blast. Three more precisely time explosions followed, sending rock and shrapnel flying everywhere, gravity beginning to take its toll. The bridge creaked as it was pulled down into the fast flowing river, folding under its own weight. The noise rattled the surrounding land as fire consumed the area, licking at the rocks and sending clouds of smoke and steam cascading upwards into the cool night. The car was well off the bridge now, and with the explosions dying down, silence engulfed the car. A serene calm after the storm now turned into an adrenaline aftershock. Tom shuddered as he leaned his head towards the window, crying into the night, half in anger, and half in sorrow

"Lord, my God, why dost thou test mine spirit! Is thou hand so hard of absolution?" he broke down in tears, feeling the pain of the fire burn at his soul. Forgetting a life past was not easy when it rode on your back at every turn, now it was taking the reins. He ripped his collar from his neck and threw it out the window, cries echoing into the night sky

Michael looked back up at the stars staring down at them, little dots of light to guide them, but they would fade with the coming morn. Eventually everything would fade. This world, the stars, and the people. But would this new life of his ever fade? It was hard to see the dawn, when the night captivates you so.


	9. Chapter 9

They drove for as long as they could, Michael fighting off sleep in the driver's seat. The road they were driving along became rough, leading into gravel eventually. The fields of grass stretched out, embracing the horizon, while the moon above illuminated them. They needed a place to stay for tonight at least, the car would be too visible on the side of the road, and could attract some unwanted visitors. Michael really missed his bed, for three days now he had been on the road, and sleeping in a car really wasn't that refreshing. As the road went on in this abandoned part of the country, Michael could see farming equipments scattered all over the field, dropped there and left to rust. The equipments trailed to a two story cottage just off the gravel road, the type you would see in those gimmicky movies set on ranches, usually about a couple of teens. It was better than nothing, and seemed remote enough to be safe, but only time would tell of that. Michael turned off the road and made his way up the long dirt drive way, a greyish cloud being blown up as he did so, glowing in the moonlight. The place had a small garage to the side, empty. Michael pulled into the garage and turned the car off, sitting back and stretching his tired bones. The house was clearly abandoned as the door was left wide open, and there was no one in sight for miles. Michael looked over at melody, she was resting her head on the window, lighting sleeping. Will was asleep too, as was Tom. He gently coaxed everyone awake; they woke up faster than he thought.

"I found this old farmhouse" he said, opening his door and stepping out "Seems safe enough and they probably didn't move the beds or anything"

"Well, it's a welcome change of pace" Will said, a sleepy slur in his voice. Melody yawned deeply as they made their way into the house, searching for the bedrooms. Will flipped a light switch and the house was illuminated, thank god the power hadn't been cut yet. Michael was right; the house had just been left completely. Furniture was still there, pictures hung on the walls and small trinkets were scattered around the house. They made their way up the stairs, wood creaking with age. This seemed to be a family house since there were three bedrooms, all fully furnished with beds and tables. It wasn't surprising that they hadn't taken anything; Michael hadn't done so either when they had left his house. Michael and melody made their way into the master bedroom, the choice being rather obvious, while Will and Tom headed for the two smaller rooms off the hall. Michael thankfully slid under the covers and relaxed into the bed, letting out a deep breath.

"This is much better" he said tiredly. Melody was surveying the room, looking over the walls and floors, Michael looked over "something wrong?"

"It's just..." melody struggled to find words for a second "This place is just like your old house"

"it has got that old feeling to it" Michael said, melody climbed into the bed next to him, leaning on his chest. She let out a saddened sigh

"Are going to leave again?" she asked unhappily

"We'll be going in the morning" Michael said, gently stroking her hair, drawing a sigh from her

"But why? Why can't we stay?" she asked

"It might not be safe, I don't want to risk losing any of us" he said, he too was wishing they didn't have to go. He felt her sadness, a deep hole in her being, draining her.

"I don't like this" she said "I don't like all this running, please, I want it to end"

"I do too Melody..." Michael said dejectedly "I don't want this life for us"

"Then let's just stop" she said "I don't care if I never go back now, that's all in the past. But please Michael, please just let us be together peacefully"

Michael sighed and looked down at her, feeling her love for him, longing for a better life which was in their grasps. As they lay in that bed, they knew what they both wanted. To stay here, just living their lives with the world ignorant of them, all they needed was each other. But with all the turmoil, how long would it last? Michael let out a low grumble

"As long as it can" he thought, his feelings pushing away reason and logic.

"Okay Melody, we'll stay for as long as the world allows us" he said, pulling her close and letting her warmth sooth his mind of fear and doubt. She gave him a gentle kiss on the lips and lay back down, Michael flipped off the bedside lamp and settled down for a deep sleep, filled with calm and wonder.

Unfortunately, Michael was awakened in the dark of the morning by the sound of tires on gravel, heavy tires. As he shifted, melody's eye fluttered open, even in sleep she could feel his thoughts. Right now, they were disturbed. Michael crawled from the bed and crept over to the window, leaning against the wall and peering out of the crack between the curtains. A pit grew in his stomach as he saw a large truck filled with soldiers, each carrying a small rifle. Some of them were dressed in plastic suits, looking more like biochemists than soldiers. The commanding officer said sometime quickly before loading a dart into his rifle and signalling forward. He looked up towards the window, Michael quickly moving away and praying he didn't notice him. Michael heard the front door open and men pile into the first room.

He ran over to the bed and grabbed melody, drawing a slight cry from her. He pulled her to the ground and shuffled into the narrow space between the floor and the bed, whispering for her to be quiet. Waiting under that bed was agonizing for them both, hearing the boots of the soldiers clatter around the house, searching various areas. Michael wondered if they were the ones from the checkpoint, were they being looked for now? The soldiers made their way up the stairs and spread out, one searching each room. As their own room door was opened, Michael knew it was the commander, he couldn't see the man but he was sure it was him. Melody whimpered slightly as he made his way around the bed, opening the drawers, the closet, the bedside table. He rummaged through the junk in the room, methodically taking his time to sort for anything suspicious. The man began talking, as if he knew they were there. A sort of torture for anyone who happened to be hiding

'"You can come out if you're here" he called, layering a sickly sweet tone over his rough voice. "We won't hurt you, we just want to collect some samples and be back at base for our breakfast"

He stomped once on the floor, Michael felt the tremor as he did so.

"Maybe we'll even help you, if you can help us" he pulled the dresser in the wardrobe to the floor, sending a thud through the house "See, we're looking for those weird alien things, they need to be stopped and we have the guns to do so"

He paused before picking up the lamp and hurling it at the wall, the metal denting it and the bulb shattering

"Or maybe you are one of them" a tone of sadism crept into his voice "maybe we'll capture you, experiment on you, torture you and then leave you for the boys to deal with. I know I've been dying to gut one of you"

He stepped towards the bed, rubber boots drawing closer to Michaels head. Melody's mind was frantic, she wanted to bolt out from under the bed and run, she wanted to escape his cage she was locked in. But she knew she would be shot down if she did so. Michael held her tighter as the voice continued.

"I've heard the screams of every race of man you can think of as I drew my knife along their chest, and they all sound different as the blood pours from their stomachs. How do you sound when you're dying with your organs splayed on the floor" he kicked the bedpost, moving the bed slightly, Michael shuffled back with it, trying not to make much noise. Before he could do so again, a shot was heard from outside. The commander turned and made his way towards the window; he paused for a second then walked out of the room, tramping down the stairs. Michael heard the men talking quickly between themselves, silencing as the commander approached. He said a few words Michael sound make out, then opened the truck door and got back inside. The men loaded something large and metal onto the truck, then got themselves in. As the sound of tires crunching gravel got further and further away, Michael loosed his grip on melody, allowing them to crawl out from under the bed. She shuddered as she tried to calm herself, holding her arms close to her. Michael put a hand on her shoulder, feeling her ease a bit. He too was shaken from the experience, it was the closest rather of them had come to such danger. They had gone now, and hopefully wouldn't return, but there was always lingering doubt. Tom enter the room, scanning the area with hawk like focus

"They're gone?" he asked, Michael nodded

"Where's Will?" he asked, as if on cue there was a cracking above them followed by a thud as Will fell through the plaster ceiling, he groaned and coughed as he sat up, rubbing his head from the fall

"Must've stepped on a weak board" he mused, looking up at the hole now leading into the loft. At least it had happened after the soldiers had left, otherwise things might be very different. Michael pulled Will up from the floor, small bits of plaster falling off his shirt.

"Do you think they'll come back?" Melody asked, an edge of sorrow in her question that they may have to leave

"I doubt it, they marked the door, must've been doing a sweep for the neighbourhood" Tom said, "if they do come back, it'd only be for something bloody important"

"You think we should stay?" Will asked, still dusting plaster from his wispy white hair, Michael glanced at melody, noting the gentle smile on her face

"Yes, we can rest for a while, and maybe even discover what to do about this whole thing" Michaels words seemed to make the situation sound like a simple thing to brush aside, not hinting at the fact that two worlds were being torn apart as they merged. The scale of the situation hit Will visibly as he began running through various theorems and thoughts, reality itself, need to be changed.

"Now isn't the time for all this malarkey" Tom said "Get some rest, and we can discuss it in the morning" They all agreed to that, resting their rudely awakened bones

Morning came, but it was a different sensation for Michael as he woke up in a strange bed, in a strange house with an even stranger partner. The light coming from the curtains was not warm like it often was back home, but a dull morning azure, cooling the land. The walls seemed to shy away from him as he lay there, holding on to Melody, like she was an anchor to the world. Things had changed, and they were likely to change further. Would they go out in a bang as the worlds boiled down to one, or with a whimper as the military hunted down the so called 'aliens' with brutal prejudice? Maybe they could flee to Melody's world, though he doubted things would be any better there. His clothes felt clammy from wearing them for so long, he needed a shower and something to eat. Melody stirred and stretched slightly as she opened her crimson eyes, nothing was said as they got up and made their way downstairs, their mental link was telling them all they needed to know from each other. The love, the fear, the hope, it was all there. Will was up and sitting an old brown couch in the font room as he scribbled onto a notepad, it looked like he been up all night. The dark bags under his eyes only added to the already aged face, brow lines deeply carved. A lone, empty can of tinned spaghetti sat on the table next to the couch. His laptop was sitting next to it, a small antenna plugged into it. Michael leaned over and looked at the screen, filled with various news websites, reporting the sorry state of the world.

"It's getting worse" Will croaked "Earthquakes along the major fault lines, stray portals blasting places to rubble...Many countries have declared emergency states and some even instated marshal law" He put the pad down the table and rubbed his face "looks like the US isn't too far from it either"

"any way to stop this so far?" Michael asked

"not stop...stall...maybe" Will said "the portals become more frequent and stable as the worlds draw closer, so we may be able to predict their appearances"

"Can we go through one?" Melody asked, even though she didn't care about her home anymore, she would at least like to visit it once more

"That crazy!" Will burst out, very erratically "Even if you do survive getting near one, it could collapse once you're through, or worse, when you're in it"

"Can't you predict that?" Michael said

"If I had a supercomputer! We're talking about calculations on a huge and quantum scale all at once" Will said, leaning back "I don't think there is a way to stop this, maybe we just need to ride it out until over eventual obliteration"

Michael had to admit that it seemed that way; Will had told of the huge amounts of energy it would take to simply open a portal, and they were talking about repelling two realities, only a god could managed that.

"I've been thinking if I could just observe portal up close, I might get an idea" Will said "I'll have to set up my detector to pick up the tachyon output within a mile or so, but it's a chance, and that's all we've ever been going on, right?"

Michael nodded; this whole thing was all luck and randomness. Michael took a hold of Wills laptop and typed in a few addresses, he had to see this all for himself, even if it was only through an LCD monitor. He typed in the name of his old town, wondering its fate, and the fate of his home. News articles appeared on screen, detailing how the large portal was still raging, and still spewing out random junk. Photos of the old town showed it charred and damaged as debris lay everywhere. Houses had been crushed, roads cracked and everything else demolished from the stray energy being shot off from the portal. The area had been quarantined and was under heavy guard due to numerous sightings of Pokémon in the area, being accredited some of the destruction. Michael closed the laptop, having seen enough. He shook his head clear of menacing thought and began to walk up the stairs, heading for the front door. Melody followed him out, sensing the deep turmoil inside him.

As they exited the house, they were hit by the grey morning sun, mist settling over the gravel road they had come down to reach this place. Melody took in the area, scanning it for anything that may be useful, but there was nothing. Fields stretched out to the horizon, filled with yellow grass and pieces of farming machines. Michael just stood and stared out at the road, as if looking at it would be enough to make something good happen.

"What do you think?" he asked

"about what?" she replied, noting the melancholy tone in his voice

"Where would you rather spend your last few months?" Michael said "Here, waiting for something that may never come, or in your own world, travelling across the world and maybe finding a final place to rest"

She was a bit scared from what he was saying, she had to ask

"What are you thinking?"

He turned to her, eyes downcast, face pale and morose. His voice shuddered

"If we can't go back to your world, there may be some peace for us, I know there are far more isolated areas" he said "We could stay there, with each other for as long as the worlds can last, there'd be no military threat and no one hunting us. We could both exist like we were meant to"

"But what if we find a way to stop this?" she asked, Michael growled in anger and pain

"We can't dammit! It's impossible! This is all a stupid act of god and we will never find a way out!" He yelled "The whole world has fucked itself! Everyone will die or worse!" he collapsed to his knees in misery "The only way I can think good of it, is that we might be able to die in peace when it all comes to an end! We...can't...fix this!"

Melody weighed his words, despite all the emotion in them, they were rational. The chances of fixing this were very slim, it was a cosmic event, larger than any of them. It had no face and no natural weakness, it was pure chaos. She bent down next to him and affectionately smoothed his course brown hair, her eyes softening as she spoke

"Let's try at least...if we can't do it, then we can leave" she said "But for now, we'll hold on to this world a bit longer"

Michael slowly stood, regaining his composure. He looked up at the dawn sky, painted red, like it was splattered with blood from all this madness. The clouds moved slowly, blown by the atmospheric winds, shifting in colour as they went. Michael's eyes caught something in the sky, a streak of orange, like an old biplane. The streak circled a few times directly over the house, then began to descend, rather rapidly. Anything going that fast toward the ground can't be good. Melody noticed it too, trying to sharper her senses and find what it was. Michaels eye widened as the thing got closer, he could make out a flame, wings and talons. IT seemed clear by now it wasn't a plane or a bird, but something more fearsome. The orange scaled creature pulled up, spreading it's dragon like wings as it pulled back. Michael and Melody quickly moved away as the creature thudded to the ground, sending gravel high into the air.

"Oh crap..." Michael uttered as he realised what he was staring at. A orange scaled, flame tailed, dragon like beast. A Charizard. As it adjusted its eyes onto him, it leaned back, opening its mouth and emitting a large roar. The sound shook the ground as the creature readied to attack, twisting it's large body backwards. Before it could move any further though, it was knocked back by an unseen force. Michael blinked as he looked over to see melody holding out a hand, having fired the psychic blast. The Charizard look at her, visibly angered and confused, it roared but showed no signs of attack as it looked at her. For the first time since he met her, she spoke in her natural tongue, speaking her own name in various sequences

"Garde...Gardevoir" she spoke, her voice lacked the double tracked sound of telepathic speech. The Charizard roared back in responce, but in a quieter and less agitated tone this time. She continued to speak "Gardevoir, Garde, Voir...Gardevoir"

Despite it not being the time nor the place, Michael wondered how such speech even worked if it was simply repeating the name of the Pokémon speaking. A system of syllables in sequence, maybe? Or subtle voice cues? It was hard to grasp, but clearly the Charizard understood what she was saying, and was rather suspicious of him. It looked from her to him, then back, letting out a huff in response to something she said. Her voice caught him off guard when she spoke to him again

"He wants to take us back to his nest" she said "He mentioned something about a leader; it could be a small tribe"

"How do we know it isn't a trap?" Michael asked, seemed a silly question to be asking a Pokémon, but they could be rather cunning despite looks. Melody and the Charizard spoke a few sentences before she turned back

"he says that if you stay with me, on one will try hurt us" she said, a calmness in her voice betraying the situation. Michael looked at the Charizard, who was eyeing him cautiously. Michael knew that have other Pokémon trust them could be useful, he doubted they would help, but it was a start towards some kind of alliance. He made up his mind.

"Fine, where's his 'nest'?" Michael asked, wondering where a large creature like that could hide

After another short exchange between the two Pokémon, Melody answered

"He says he can fly us there" she said, seeming a bit excited at the prospect of flying. Michael groaned at the idea of being above ground on a giant lizard which could incinerate a human being in under a second, but he agreed. The Charizard bowed slightly, allowing melody and Michael to climb onto his back, in between the two powerful wings. He took off quickly, not waiting for the two passengers to settle in. Michael held on tight to the body of the beast, feeling the wind rush past his face as they soared higher into the sky. Melody let out a laugh they she looked down, she had never flown on anything before, and to see the world from such a vantage point was amazing.

Michael didn't know how far they flew, but when he looked back down, he saw they were flying over another forested area. The area was partly walled in by rocks, a creek running through the small valley. Various areas of the canopy were open, but it seemed the branches had been cut, rather than just being a gap in the forest. As they descended into one of these openings, Michael saw the branches up close, having been cut clean through. It would take something sharper than a saw to do that. Michael felt a slight thud as they landed, thankful to crawl off of the large lizard. His bones felt loose after the flight, he rolled his shoulders, trying to return the feeling. Melody was still thrilled from having flown so fast and so high, amazed by the speed in which they travelled. No sooner had they taken a few steps off, a rustle from the bushes alerted them to the presence of someone else. As Michael turned to look, several various Pokémon burst from the foliage, focusing on the two of them. The Charizard gave a large roar, making the various creatures step back slightly, but not lowering their guard. The Charizard roared a second time, shorter this time, making one of the Pokémon step forward. A green bird, standing on two feet with its symmetrical wings tucked into it's body. It regarded them with thin, shallow eyes, smoothly moving from one to another. It looked at melody with a slight fondness, like she was a sister. It spoke curtly, waiting for a response.

"Xat, Xatu" it's voice sounded as if it was synthesized, being rather tinny, as if it was coming from an old speaker system.

Melody gave what would probably be a greeting in her language, eliciting a nod from the Xatu before it turned and walked into the woods, Melody began to follow along with Michael

"I suppose he wants us to go with him?" Michael said

"Yes, he says their leader is waiting for a report" she said, an inch of worry in her voice. The leader would be either strong, or smart. Both possibly being harmful to them. Michael reviewed the area as they walked, noticing more and more Pokémon peering out from bushes and small burrows. They looked on in a slight awe, which was odd considering that they had surely seen humans before. But maybe being in this world had taught them to fear humans, seeing them as more of a threat than another race like them. There were multitudes of them there, forming a safe haven for Pokémon in this world, out of the way and out of sight. There were Mightyenas in packs, Lucarios in small groups, a Blaziken who starred with cold eyes as it held a small Torchic. Bugs types were scattered and other random ones scuttling around the grassy floor. As they continued through the area, they eventually happened upon a small hut, made from branches stacked into a cubic shape with leaves and moss covering it, offering some enclosed space. The roof was simple leaves woven together to form a coarse material, blocking wind and rain. The Xatu stopped, signalling for us to wait by a wave of its wing. Michael heard a few lines of muffled dialogue were heard from outside the hut, the walls also appeared to provide a good sound barrier. The Xatu exited, pointing inside, giving a short command. Michael and melody ducked under the low wooden doorway and squinted in the dark hut. A small light appeared in the centre of the room, glowing softly, throwing warm shadows onto the ground around it. From behind it, and aged creature looked out at them. Two large ears extended from its jackal like head, along with a mane of thick brown fur along it's collar. It looked over them with beady and wise eyes, before smiling slightly. He motioned for them to sit down, they had no seats so the mossy earth felt damp under them, but this was the last thing on their minds. The creature spoke, in a voice raspy and horse, but double toned, like Melody's. He was a psychic.

"Welcome you two, we have many a thing to discuss"


	10. Chapter 10

The creature spoke, in a voice raspy and horse, but double toned, like Melody's. He was a psychic.

"Welcome you two, we have many a thing to discuss"

Michael and Melody looked curiously at him. The fact that he talked was of no surprise to them, but more the fact that he was so welcoming, given the introduction these creatures had surely had upon entry to this world. The seemed to sense their confusion and smiled, if that expression he wore was a smile, and pushed a small plate of berries towards them as if preparing to tell a long story like that of a mother to their child.

"I must admit, I am surprised to find a human who is not shocked by our presence, but from what it looks like, you have been weaned of such fears" He said, motioning to Melody "I know that, since one of the scouts agreed to transport you back to our camp, you are either very important or seeking asylum, and if it is the latter, I must ask why" His voice was old but the question was posed with a inflection of authority.

Michael spoke first, trying not to let his eye contact with the creature waver.  
"We don't need shelter and I can't think of why we would be important to you, but your...scout, took us by surprise" the image of the large lizard still fresh in his mind, odd for something of that size to be considered a scout. "It might have mistaken me for an enemy when it saw I was with Melody"

"Melody...a fine name if I have ever heard one" the creature mused "I take it that you are the reason our scout did not slaughter him, Melody" He rolled the name as he said it, still pondering it in the corner of his mind

"Y-yes" Melody stammered slightly as she was abruptly addressed "I told him that we weren't enemies...and that we couldn't cause him any trouble if he left us alone"

"Then why are you here?" the creature asked, either he was feigning ignorance or he had not been told of this by the scout

"He said that he needed to take us back to your nest, he wouldn't leave us alone, otherwise" Melody replied, wondering if the Charizard had ulterior motives in bringing them here

"Did he now?" A flash of anger crossed the creatures face, barely visible to either of them "I will discuss that with him later, but for now, I must ensure that this haven remains safe". The creature glanced out the door of the small hutch, the camp was restless with these two here and something needed to be done about it.

"You must remain here until it is deemed safe for you to leave and for us to let you leave" he said sharply. Michael spoke up

"I'm sorry, but we can't stay here, we have to keep moving, we have friends who don't know where we are right now" he said "our friends are probably looking for us, and if they give up, thinking we're dead, they'll leave. We'd have a hard time finding them again"

"Be that as it may, I cannot allow you to endanger my tribe. You will remain here and you will not leave until permission is given" The creatures voice echoed in Michael's head louder than before

"So we're like hostages to you?" Michael said, voice matching the raising of the creature's. This place endangered their entire plan for salvation, their future for themselves they desperately looked for.

"Only until we have determined whether or not you can be trusted, do you not see logic in my decision?" He asked. It was true, it was the smartest thing to do, and the fact that he was leader of an entire people made it even more important. But the risk of losing their only chance at a normal life was something Michael saw as being worth more than the protection of this tribe.

"Please, we haven't tried to hurt any of you and you outnumber us, we wouldn't be able to hurt you" Melody tried to reason with him. The air was ripe with tension, the plate of food in front of them sat almost untouched since the exchange began, and with the way it was headed, looked to stay that way.

"There is no doubt that is true, but if I were to release you, you may devolve secrets to others who may have unacceptable motivations" The creature said, tone growing impatient, remaining stubborn in his position. "If even one member of my tribe was harmed by you or your friends, the guilt would rest heavy in my heart that I let it happen"

"We don't know where we are! And we have no reason to tell anyone of us being here, we have to leave and get back to our friends" Michael said, standing as if to leave "If you let us go, then we will guarantee not to tell anyone of this place, you can even let some of your people accompany us back"

"You may _not_ leave without permission" The creature said, piercing eyes glaring at Michael harshly

"We must and we will" Michael said ultimately, knowing how the odds were stacked against him "We won't tell anyone we were here, that is something you will have to trust us with.

"That is not a pledge we can believe in, particularly when It comes from a human, those who have shown nothing but violence towards us, who is of no importance to us!" The psychic's eyes glowed with a brief flash, sending Michael stumbling back with a cry, clutching his eyes. The psychic approached Michael as he stumbled stupidly to the ground

"Don't touch him!"

The psychic turned to the voice, but was thrown away as an invisible barrier ploughed into him, the force of it sending small blast of wind through the hut. He struck the ground and rolled into the wall, making the hut creak slightly with his impact. He looked over to see Melody, faint blue outline tracing around her body, with nothing but power and anger in her eyes. Michael had never felt this level of fury from her before, it washed hotly over his mind, the link urging him to the same state. Michael suppressed the anger attempting to seize his mind and looked through his blurred vision, motioning for Melody to stop. He still pleading to the psychic

"Please, we must go back, we have friends who are back there, t-their our only hope of getting back, if they find a way to o-" Michael stopped himself, realising what he had partly revealed. The creature's brow arched an inch upon hearing this. He got up and steadied himself, regaining a calmer composure.

"What exactly is this hope?" he asked "and is it you plan to go back to?"

Melody spoke as she helped Michael to a sitting position; the flash had left his eyes unfocused as his balance slightly off. "It would help if we explained everything to you, please sit back down, it was a shock to me when I was first told of the truth about this world". The psychic slowly sat down again, eyes sharply focused on the pair who showed so much gall to him.

"Very well, what is this truth that you speak of?" He asked, accusation in his voice, but patience in his posture. Melody and Michael slowly recounted the tale of their journey so far. Even to them, hearing the tale told back sounded ludicrous, something that one would in the science fiction section of a seedy bookstore. They told of how this world was not Hoenn, or Sinnoh or Jhoto. They told how they had met and began to run from the inescapable coming apocalypse. The psychic listen intently, only asking questions to clarify a detail or something he thought he had misheard, but never refuting the tale or asking how it could all occur. It took nearly an hour, but finally Melody finished their story, the psychic not having moved since the start. Slowly, he lifted a hand to his mane, running it through the course, dark hair in contemplation.

"That..." he said, pausing while trying to find the right words "Is the most absurd story I have heard in all my years". Michael looked up with weariness

"It's all true, and if don't believe-"

"I never accused you of lying" The psychic said, slyly smiling "It is an absurd tale, but if it is true, then it would explain a great deal of what we have been through in our short time here". He continued to mull over these facts, muttering to himself, or maybe those were just stray thoughts from his telepathic speech? He looked at them once again.

"Do you have any proof of this, as such?" he asked, expecting another long story by the looks of it.

"We don't, but one of our friends is extremely learned in these matters, if we could take you to him, you would have your proof" Michael said, his eyes were nearly functioning again, a small amount of blur around the edges of his vision and slight dizziness persistent. The psychic thought for a moment, still stroking his mane and muttering stray thoughts. Finally, he looked back at them and said

"You will stay here tonight, I will consult with the others about this matter" he glanced out of the hut, scanning the forest "In the morning, we will give you our answer, and if it is yes, then we shall go to see these friends of yours, if it is no...then we shall see". His eyes glazed over in thought as he looked down, seemingly gone from this world, as if he were looking a thousand miles into the future.

The Xatu stepped back into the hut, motioning for them to follow him. Michael had guessed he had been listening in, to which he was unsure, was a good thing or a bad thing. Michael and Melody following the green little bird through the camp, still drawing looks from the Pokémon around them, to a destination unknown. In their own world, it would not have been an uncommon sight, but it was now one they seemed to shy away from, guarded themselves almost. The Xatu led them to a small open walled shelter in which was a bed of moss and a small plate of assorted fruits, all of which, seemed odd to Michael. Shapes and colours which he had never seen in a fruit. Maybe they has been brought throw the portals too, the strange berry fruits of the Pokémon world. The Xatu communicated a short sentenced with Melody and then left. Melody relayed the message, that they could explore the area, but not leave. Michael sat down on the mossy bed, putting his forehead in his hands. This was one situation he had not planned on, being in the camp of wild Pokémon who all were most likely hostile to them, with no way to contact the only allies he had in this whole journey.

"Well...what now?" Michael asked absently, honestly not knowing what to do. What now? It always came back to that. Plans went awry or something happened that impeded their goal, and then he would ask, what now? It was exhausting to know that it could always come back to that, forcing them to change their path. But for Melody, he thought it was all worth it, and he hoped he was right in the end. Melody sat motionless beside him, not knowing what to say either. She could talk to the other Pokémon, but what to say to them? Would they accept their relationship and maybe have a chance at eliminating their hostilities, or would they fear them even more for being with someone who was out to kill them, in their minds. In the end, she only said one thing

"Wait..."

"Is that it?" Michael asked "Is that how much control we have?" Michael was not one to try change history with his actions, but to do nothing in a time which required action was not something he could easily accept.

"We can't leave and we can't make him let us leave..." Melody said "And all this time we've been trying to keep doing something, maybe this time all we can do is nothing" She laughed slightly, an odd action for such a time

"What is it?" Michael asked

"Because we've never had time to spend together since we began running from everything, maybe this time together is a blessing for us" She said, sighing softly as she relaxed herself, leaning her head on Michaels shoulder "I would be happy to just sit here with you for a while, like we did before we left"

Michael contemplated her words, he still wanted to do something, but the peace he felt from her, just the utter harmony she gave him...he decided that this was for the best. Michael pulled Melody close to him, making her "eep" and giggle lightly. She held onto his arms as he stroked her soft green hair, just enjoying the moment they had together in the lush forest. As they sat in silence, they listened to all the sounds around them. The wind blowing a gentle tune alongside the river, whispering quietly, as the birds occasionally sang a song to the sky, thanking it for the open space in which to fly. Michael leaned his head down and planted a small kiss on Melody's head; she turned her head and drew him into a longer, loving kiss. When Michael looked back on it, he realised that was the first time they had ever really done it. All the times before, it had been a small and simple kiss, one of protection and care. But this was one of love; unfettered love that they knew was true as they let their emotions break through their mind's barriers. For long minutes, it seemed as if they were in a place of their own, cut off from both of their worlds, just existing in a pool of their adoration. When it all ended, Michael could only utter one sentence as he held her

"I love you, you know that, Melody?"

"With all your heart" Melody replied

In the hours that came as they sat together, various Pokémon approached, mostly staying a short distance away from them. They looked on at the two, but not one said or did anything. They held a certain curiosity in their eyes, one with which a child would have when he found a new bug in the garden or when he was watching another child from afar. Michael and Melody looked back, waiting for them to make the first move, and them waiting for them. The same situation he and Melody were once in of both wanting to say something but waiting for the other to start first. The silence was only broken when a small Pokémon stepped ahead of the crowd. The small Pokémon was a Torchic, red feathers on its wings and a small rounded head, three tufts of small feathers sprouting from it. It cheeped lightly then ran towards them, stopping in front of the two and turning its head slightly. It cheeped happily, running around them, trying to observe every detail with its youthful curiosity.

Melody reached over to the small plate of berries and took one, plump and purple, and held it out to the hyperactive little phoenix. It looked at the berry for a second before taking a peck, twittering gladly as it continued to eat. Other Pokémon looking on stepped forward as well, seeming braver now that one had shown the two were of no threat. One of the Pokémon spoke up, a Zangoose, although to Melody only, as Michael could not understand its speech. Melody relayed parts of the conversation to Michael, explaining that the Pokémon were curious as to who they were and why they were here.

"We were brought here why one of your scouts" Melody said, speaking to both Michael and the crowd telepathically "We're unsure why he did it, we were not causing him any distress when he passed overhead"

The Zangoose asked another question, motioning to Michael with a claw, its brown eyes regarding him with a slight mistrust.

"He isn't my trainer" She said "It would take a long time to explain who he is fully, how we met and why we are both travelling"

The Zangoose asked another short question

"He isn't my owner either" She said, enjoying the guessing game while the Zangoose looked on confused. Michael guessed that the only relations wild Pokémon knew of Pokémon to humans were that of a Trainer or an owner, which wasn't surprising, considering they didn't know they were not in their own world anymore or that this world did not even possess Pokémon. They must be confused now that humans are hunting them for reasons they don't know of.

Other Pokémon took a guess at who Michael was, some were rather amusing.

"No, he isn't an enemy or a slave or a collector" She said, herself amused at the idea of a human as a servant to a Pokémon, something which she had never heard of happening, making her wonder if it ever occurred.

A Lucario with a look of what Michael guessed was annoyance, asked one last sharp question. Melody was silent for a second. She looked at Michael for a moment, as if she was going to ask something, but turned back and answered.

"He is my mate" She answered simply, no hesitation in her voice. She received looks ranging from bewilderment to shock to uncertainty from the crowd around them. Michael felt slightly alienated being referred to as a 'mate', a term seeming very foreign to him. It gave him comfort, though, that the term showed she felt so strongly of him despite him being of a different species.

A stuttered question came from another of the group of Lucarios in the crowd. Melody looked rather embarrassed when she heard it, a contrasting blush creeping across her pale skinned face.

"n-no, not...yet" She answered, her voice faltering somewhat. It took Michael a second to figure out what the question was, making the heat rise to his face. There was prolonged silence after that, both parties caught off guard by the answer and the following question. The little Torchic had walked to the pile of berries and was now happily devouring the fruits, blissfully ignorant of the topics brought up. A small cat like creature in the front of the crowd which Michael hadn't noticed before, spoke up. Its eyes were a deep red with no cornea but a large black iris, its fur black as night, being illuminated slightly by the glowing rings of gold around its upper legs and ears. It spoke with a genuine tone of curiosity in its voice as it asked its question. Melody spoke to Michael privately.

"She's asking why I love you" she said "and why you love me back" she smiled. Michael softly grinned as he gave Melody his message to translate, trying to explain his reasons to the best of his poetic abilities. Melody began to recount their tale from the beginning.

"I was lost when we first met; I didn't know where I was or what had happened. Michael found me and took me in. He helped me even though he didn't know who I was or why I had appeared. I was alone, isolated from my home and everyone I knew, but he remained by my side. He could have just left me after I had healed, but he didn't. He cared for me, and because of that, I cared for him. We grew closer and eventually fell in love, regardless of us both knowing we weren't of the same species. I loved Michael because he cared for me and showed he wouldn't abandon me even if I could never get home. And when he accepted that I loved him and loved me back, I knew he was the one that I could never leave" She said, transmitting images and emotions through her mind towards the crowd, allowing them to see as she had seen. She relayed Michael's side of the message next."When I found Melody, I couldn't help but feel for her. She was a small flower lost in a storm of confusion and conflict. She knew nothing of the world outside her own and had no one there to guide her through it all. She reminded me of myself. And by helping her, she helped me. A man in a land of darkness, lost from the world he called his own. Someone who never understood his own world and the people in it, or why they acted as they did. But she was there. I could talk to her, share with her, all because she knew nothing of my world, all because she offered a clean slate. She understood and she accepted me for who I am, not asking me to change and not needing me to. I owe my life to her, the one woman, and the one person who brought me happiness in a long, long time."

The crowd of Pokémon stood, transfixed by their story. The Umbreon who had asked the question sat in silent contemplation before curving her lips slightly, smiling as she looked at the two. Speaking as Melody translated. 

"That's a beautiful story" She said "I never thought something like that could happen in reality. It sounds like a legend my pack use to tell"

"What legend was that?" Michael asked, Melody relaying the message back and forth as the Umbreon answered.

"Generations ago before even my great great grandfather was born, Humans and Pokémon were all equals. It wasn't uncommon for them to live in the same area or share the same food. Because they were equal, Humans and Pokémon couples were an ordinary sight. According to the legend, some even had children, which evolved into some of the Pokémon we have today, because Pokémon were different back then compared to now" She explained, the crowd around them was listening intently to the story which must have been passed down for generations. "We don't know which ones because it was so long ago. But after a while, humans and Pokémon began to split up. Humans built large settlements and agreed with the Pokémon that they could have the forests, if they allowed the humans land for themselves. As time passed, humans and Pokémon became even more distant until the idea of a human and Pokémon being together as a mated coupled was thought of as wrong. They had forgotten their own heritage, and viewed Pokémon as less than themselves"

"How common is it today, if it even happens at all?" Melody asked, thoughts of her own world niggling in the back of her mind

"I don't know, I'd never seen it before, and my pack travelled a lot so I always thought it was only a legend" the Umbreon replied, scratching her ears lazily. "I did hear of one man, I think his name was wolf, or-"

The Umbreon was cut off as the crowd was violently shoved aside; drawing cries of protest from the various Pokémon throw out of the way. A Blaziken stepped through, its eyes an icy blue, fixated on the two with an unwavering glare. Michael recognised it as the same Blaziken that he had seen on their way to the leader's hut. It's eyed moved to the Torchic in front of the two, still eating away at the berries, then back to them, its sneer growing. Michael didn't think it was even possible for a beaked creature to twist its mouth, but it almost seemed that way. The creature cautiously, albeit threateningly, approached the two, stopping a few feet in front of them. Michael didn't return the glare and neither did Melody, which the Blaziken thought slightly strange, to not get a response from his obvious aggression. It looked at the Torchic and spoke a quick command. The Torchic protested, peeping quickly, but the Blaziken silenced it with another stern command. The Torchic turned to Michael and Melody, giving a quick tweet before it ran back to the Blaziken, who picked it up and irately marched away. After the event, the crowd of Pokémon quickly dispersed, the atmosphere of the meeting having become tainted by the event that had just occurred. Michael asked Melody

"What was all that about?" he couldn't fathom what the Blaziken had said or why it had been so concerned.

"He seemed worried about the Torchic, which is most likely his child" she said "He just told the Torchic to stop and get away from us"

"Why did he do that? We obviously weren't a threat to anyone else" Michael said. If the other Pokémon had been convinced of their harmlessness, then why wasn't he?

"He...was very distraught, even if he didn't show too much of it" Melody said, remembering the cold eyes that she had looked into, seeing a deep rooted detestation for them "Maybe he was just worried for his child's safety". Or maybe it was something deeper, they both thought, not needing to share the idea.

Michael looked up at the sky. It was late morning when they had left the farmhouse, now the sky had shifted from its morning blue into a stream of orange and purple across the clouds. Will and Tom would be looking for them by now, at least he hoped they would, it would buy them some time while the leader made up his mind on what to do with them. As there was nothing better to do, they both lay down to rest themselves, bunching out in each other's arms and letting the pleasure of sleep embrace them. Michael found sleep to be a welcome escape from all that was going on, and Melody found it calming to know that they would never be harmed or have to run away in their dreams, a world of their own creation.

During their slumber, their minds mingled. Never fully connecting, but snippets of dreams and thoughts escaping from one into the other, making for a world of transformation and change. One minute Michael was back at home, painting a large piece of stretched canvas with the smell of oil paint and turpentine wafting through the air, and the next he was standing across a river from a small group of Gardevoirs, Gallades, Kirlias and Raltses, watching as they went about daily tribal life with the smell of fresh forest pine all around him. Melody would watch Michael as he made his way down the old gravel road and down the path to the river, and then be back with her tribe in the deep reaches of the Hoenn forest, untouched by man. The confusing scenes offered glimpses into each other's lives before the calamity that brought them together, the majority of which were forgotten, whisked away in the tidal wave of thoughts that leaked from their minds in a blissful oblivion.

They were awoken by a rustling sound from the forest beyond them. Melody looked up to see the sky had changed to a deep oceanic blue, stars still glittering in the darkness only cut through by the light of the crescent moon. A fraction of orange light emanated from the edge of it all, heralding the coming of dawn. Michael roused himself as well, hearing the rustling as it came closer to them. As the rustling reached them, a figure stepped from the forest and into the moonlit area of their small arrangement. The moonlight illuminated the leader Pokémon, the aged Alakazam, and darkened the various figures behind him. He spoke wearily, like a man who had argued for far too long.

"After counselling with the other leaders, we have come to a decision" He said, pausing long enough for Michael to ask a question

"Who are the other leaders? We thought you were the leader of this group" His voice dragged by his drowsiness. The Pokémon motioned to the figures behind him, and they stepped out into the light to join him. Beside him stood ten other Alakazams, along with one Kadabra. Michael was curious that he had never seen them around the area before.

"After assaulting the problem from every angle, we have decided that we will release you on one condition" He said, holding up a single, clawed digit to illustrate. The Kadabra spoke up this time, this voice sounding significantly younger than the main leader's

"If what you have said is true, about seeking a return to our own world, then you must offer us use of it if you find it" He motioned to the rest of the assemblage "In order for you to do this, we also offer help. But you shall be watched by our scouts and guards for any sign of betrayal to this agreement" He held a hand out to them, offering a choice "What say you, of this?"

Michael thought they had actually struck a good deal. More help for will to figure out all that they needed. Maybe this getting captured by a group of wild Pokémon would be a good thing in the long run and he had no intent of breaking the oath he would give. Michael and Melody agreed to this, bringing a smile to the main leaders face and a look of defeat to a few others in the group. One of the other Alakazams spoke up now, his voice bearing the same age and wisdom as the other, but with a different tone.

"Before we depart to this place you spoke of, we must ask you, Melody was it? Why did you link yourself to this human when you first arrived in this world?" The others listened intently for an answer. Michael didn't understand, he thought the link was for communication, and it was obvious then, why she would do so. Melody blushed slightly at the question, leading Michael to openly ask

"What do you mean? She couldn't speak to me until she linked our minds" The question earning a knowing look from the Pokémon. The younger one went on to explain.

"The linking of one's mind to another is considered a very intimate act in Psychic Pokémon culture, often only used when offering one's self as a mate to another. The proposal is answered by the other either accepting or rejecting the connection. It is unsurprising that you did not know this, having never contacted a Pokémon before." He said, gladly flaunting his knowledge. "However, considering the fact that she had only just met you, it seems puzzling to do something so rash"

Melody looked to Michael worriedly before explaining to them.

"When I first arrived, I didn't know I wasn't in Hoenn anymore. I thought Michael was a trainer and I had somehow been knocked out in the forest. I tried to escape but I was injured. I realized that Michael didn't intend to harm me, and resisting capture was useless in the state I was in" She explained, her voice edged by a negative emotion Michael couldn't place "I thought that if I linked my mind to his, I might have a chance of having a better life with him as a trainer than other Pokémon who I have seen captured"

The group of leaders looked at one another, exchanging glances and nods, as if they knew what the others were thinking. The one who had asked the question spoke again

"Although the move was rash and would have broken very serious tradition in your culture and given the circumstances, it may have been nessicary, but what were you planning to do if you were released?" He asked, the younger one moving in again to elaborate the question to Michael

"The breaking of a mental link is an extremely terrible process or both parties. Those who have lost their mates have often committed an act so horrifying to the other, their minds cannot tolerate one another anymore, and the link will break. It has been described as a feeling of having one's self torn in two and forever losing that half that was lost. In your case, it would have been required if Melody was to leave you, or you would both not be able to shut off each other's minds and would be inevitably drawn back again." He said "This is the reason that it is a sacred tradition and not one to be taken lightly"

Michael was at a loss for words. A whole rush of new questions rushed into his mind. Did she mean it as a proposal? Was it just for convenience? Was this the reason she loved him? He looked over to Melody who was also trying to form an explanation, before she ended with a final statement

"I...I don't know" she said, her voice carrying sadness, seeming lost in the air

The group regarded this answer, repeating their actions from before of glances and nods. The main leader motioned for them to go, and they did, walking back into the dark forest. He turned back to Melody and Michael

"We will be leaving at daybreak; we will accompany you back to your friends via flight. Please rest until then" he said

And with that, he turned and left, leaving them both to fall into an uncomfortable sleep filled with doubt and regret.


	11. Chapter 11

When the first rays of light cracked upon the dawn's horizon, the Pokémon began to move, accompanying Melody and Michael back to the farmhouse. The entire group of leaders were accompanying them along with a small defensive party made up of Lucarios, Luxray and the lone Blaziken, who had put up quite an argument over leaving his child alone in the forest camp. The main group of leaders, along with Melody and Michael, were mounted on the back of various flying Pokémon. Melody and Michael flew on the same Charizard who had taken them to the encampment in the beginning, while the others flew on Pidgeys and Salamances. Melody again took in the vastness of the sky and height from which they flew, happily laughing as the Charizard dipped and rose with the thermal currents. Michael was still enjoying himself self less considerably. He could handle Airplanes and heights, but soaring above the clouds on a large, orange fire breathing dragon was something he would probably never get used to. But he did raise his head occasionally, knowing that he would probably never get a chance like this again. Melody looked down at the ground rushing far below them, enjoying the cool wind which whipped her face, watching as the scouts below them ran alongside the airborne creatures. Their speed was amazing to her as they leaped over forest and field, strong rear legs propelling them across the ground, looking as if their feet never touched the earth below them. They might as well have been flying themselves. She picked off the Pokémon who were chosen as the scouts; An Absol with its hair glowing a shade of orange in the dawn's light, a Mightyena, whose fur was the opposite, absorbing all light, making it nothing but a black smudge in the world. And lastly, a Grovyle, running with its head low to the ground, scaled legs pumping over any obstacle in its path. She gasped as the Charizard suddenly swooped downwards, leaning forward to grab onto its neck as not to fall. When she turned her head back to the ground, grip still tight around the dragons neck, she saw the familiar pieces of broken farming equipment sitting still in the large fields of corn and wheat. Looking Michael pointed over her shoulder ahead of them, towards the edge of the field where the farmhouse lay, looking darkened and grim in the still faded morning light.

"We shall set down a way away from the dwelling" The main leader said, echoing into their minds in contrast to the roaring noise of the wind as they descended. "That way, we shall not disturb these friends of yours"

Michael could only nod, holding on to the dragons neck as Melody did with the wind too loud for him to speak. Melody was more focused on the vertigo she was experiencing from the decent. The dizziness in her head made her giggle openly as the world felt as though it was falling away. They came in quick, seeming as if they were going to hit the ground full speed. At the last moment, the Charizard spread its wing wide, jerking Melody backwards into Michaels grip as the membrane of the wings strained against the wind, dispersing it like a parachute. Another, considerably smaller, bump came as they settled onto the ground. Michael slid off the dragons back, catching melody, who slid after him. He placed her on the ground, chuckling as she stumbled around for a second, trying to regain balance after flying for so long. Michael then fell over the first step he took, bringing an end to his fun. The scouting party of Pokémon remained close behind, positioning themselves low in the fields, able to catch the slightest movement and rush forth in an instant. Michael and Melody

moved to the leader as he motioned them over, eyeing the house with slight distain. He commanded them to approach the house and call his friends, so they could prove the validity of their claims.

As they approached, the house seemed eerily still. Not a thing moved, not a light shone, and no movement was visible through the windows. Michael listened to the gravel crunch beneath his feet, being deafening in the silence they wandered through. They were all alone. Michael cursed, knowing they must have already left the house, they had their own agendas after all, but the feeling still stayed. A bang sounded as the gravel between the two shot up, melody coughing from the sudden dust cloud she inhaled and stopping dead in their tracks. Michael's mind sharpened as he tried to find the shooter. His eyes found the top window of the house, a mop of orange hair lit from the sun's rays, on the head of a man holding a cocked rifle. His vision was aimed directly down the barrel, scrutinizing the two who approached. As he shifted slight, the front door of the house was flung open, Wills wispy white hair flashing as he ran out of the house, holding up his hand to the window.

"For God's sake, put that gun away, you moron!" He yelled, not breaking stride as he ran towards the two, stopping in front of them as he wheezed, out of breath "You...you two have a lot of gall...I'm not meant for this sort of thing..."

"The running or the shooting?" Melody mused; Will was still regaining his breath as he answered

"Both! You leave me here, trying to perform complex research and study..." He drew himself up as he pointed towards the window "With a homicidal, catholic gunman! He was on the lookout all night! Shooting at anything bigger than a bloody rabbit!"

Tom had made his way down from the top room now, barrelling out of the door, still holding his gun tight. He stalked angry towards the two, deep set rings under his eyes; he really was up all night.

"Where the sodding hell did you two run off to?" he yelled, eyes darting back and forth between them and the group of Pokémon not too far behind "And why have you brought them here! We're trying to lay low, aren't we? Wasn't that part of your plan, if you could call it that?"

His aim swivelled around franticly, switching from creature to creature as the gun was trained on the crowd. Melody sent a small psychic push into the gun, afraid he was going to fire it, making him lose his grip and the gun fall to the ground.

"Why are you so being paranoid, Thomas!" Will yelled, the red haired priest fumbling for the gun on the gravel, hands slipping as he grabbed hold. This was not the man they had left. "All night, trying to shoot the damn stars out of the sky, wasting time and sleep!"

"They could have come at any moment for us!" Tom retorted "Michael and Melody were first, who's to say we weren't going to be next?"

"Look man, they're back now and unharmed, lay down the bloody gun!" Will pushed the barrel of the gun down, pointing it at the ground. Tom's eyes searched the area haphazardly, his face contorting through a multitude of expressions as he glanced over the line of Pokémon a distance away from them. He finally gave an angered grunt; head hanging as he let the gun drop to his side, turning around and stalking back into the house without another word.

Will turned back to us and finally asked about the elephant in the room

"So...ah, what are they...ah, doing here?" He asked as he scanned the line, half in wonder of the new specimens he saw and half in uncertainness about the danger of said creatures. Melody was so far the only Pokémon he had interacted with, made easy considering there was no language barrier for them, but these one's were unknown to him. They varied so much that he marvelled at the fact that they could be considered one species in terms of breeding.

"Allies...so to speak" Michael said hesitantly, wondering how Tom would react when he learned that they were to stay.

"They allowed us to leave them if we are to aid them in return to their world" Melody explained "They are very cautious...they were unaware of this being a separate world, and lost trust of humans after they had attempted to kill them" She knew that if Michael had not found her, she would likely be the same, lost in the world.

"You did tell them we have no idea how to do that?" Will asked sceptically "We're not even close, it's just theory right now, I still have no idea how we can predict a portal, let alone-" He was cut off, jumping back with a small cry as the main leader of the group materialised beside him.

"We know this, however we were not told the extent of your knowledge on such matters" The leader said flatly "We are, however, willing to aid you in this venture"

Will was still shaken from the sudden teleportation, and that this Pokémon was yet another psychic capable of human interaction. He tried to regain his bearings as he spoke

"I understand, but we are trying to go unnoticed by others" He explained, attempting to see how this would work, having creatures with no knowledge of humanity working alongside him in research. "And if your group is always here, we run the risk of being discovered, and then we may all be killed or worse"

The old leader chuckled deeply in a way that unsettled Will, a way that a smugly sure man would chuckle and not a fox-like bipedal creature who could be mistaken for a common animal.

"You underestimate the strength Pokémon possess over your kind" He said, staring up at Will with wizened eyes "Pokémon hold power capable of destroying humanity entirely, but we have never needed too as humans have never posed a threat."

"But humans here pose a threat, and in your world Humans never created weapons capable of killing you because it was unneeded. But in this world we have weapons that can kill a man in less than a second from distances beyond your vision" Will said, smile tugging at the corners of his mouth as he debated with the creature, it was a new feeling, intelligently talking to another species. "Your claws cannot stop a gun"

"We have seen the weapons possessed in this world, and while they are formidable, humans in this world have not seen the length of our abilities, giving us the element of surprise" He said, unwilling to back down from the agreement. Michael and Melody felt forgotten as the two continued discussing the plans in the fading morning light, allowing them to slip away and continue back to the house.

They both were relived to back in the hold shelter again, the air inside warming them from the morning's chilly air. While the forest was not a frozen tundra in terms of temperature, it was cold enough to make one shiver at night, had they not had each other to warm themselves. Wills papers still lay spread out around the coffee table from yesterday, strewn about his closed laptop. A rumpled sheet lay on the couch he had been sitting on. Proof that he had been working hard enough to fall asleep on the spot, calculating God knows what. They continued up the stairs, still weary from the whole ordeal of being swept away by a tribe of stray Pokémon and being forced into a mutual pact. Melody laid her head on his shoulder, sighing softly as they continued to their room. They creaked open the door to see a chair pulled up to the window, spent rifle shells scattered on the faded brown carpet, a small clip set on the floor below it. The scene made Melody feel uneasy, seeing the instruments of death so casually thrown about, it seemed so wrong that someone would treat them like small toys. She lifted the empty shells psychically, as if touching them would infect her with something, and cast them out the open window. As she lay down on the bed, letting the fatigue seep from her body, Michael excused himself. He made his way to the bathroom a door down the hall, eager to clean himself of the stench that clung to him from days on the road. In all the action and movement, he had dulled himself to it, and so had the others, deeming their goal more important. He twisted the shower knob, stripping his clothes as the water heated itself. As he was doing this, his eyes caught his reflection in the mirror. He was gazed at the rugged appearance that stared back at him. His hair now longer and matted with sweat and grease, while his chin was covered in rough stubble, giving him the appearance of one who had been stranded for a week. His eyes were painted with dark rings around them, every crease in his face becoming accentuated. This was him, this was the one Melody loved. His mind went back to that moment when he was told of the true meaning of a mental bond. A bond which sealed the fate of two people, making them truly understand one another and know that the other trusted them enough to allow this. It was given by those who wished to spend the rest of their life with someone they loved dearly, and accepted with great gravity. But he hadn't had that choice. Melody had done it out if desperation and misunderstanding, he didn't know how its meaning was so deep and profound, he didn't know of what it made the other feel. So what if this all wasn't because she loved him? What if it was all just their bond forcing them to feel these things. A false love, a shadow of the real thing. Steam fogged the mirror as the dull pattering of water on the floor ran behind him, and yet he wondered, maybe it was better this way. Maybe a shadow of love was all he would ever get, and maybe the shadow could be better than nothing if one welcomed the illusion. But he would always know it was a shadow, and that tore at his chest more than anything in the world.

Melody was also ruminating on these thoughts as she lay still on the bed, drinking in the silence that filled the room. The moment she bonded their minds, it was so hazy that she could hardly remember it clearly amongst the new memories she now shared of this world. Over the days she stayed with Michael, she grew attracted to him; she fostered feeling for him that she had never felt for others of her kind. Why she had never felt those feelings for her kind was one of a personal decision. She was one to take time in a relationship, to know the person well enough that bonding wasn't necessary to know the feelings of the other, to figure out the puzzle before she was given the answers. But went she came across Michael, the bond was so quickly formed and the relationship forced in their situation, she didn't know what caused her attraction. Was it that he was one she could relate to and know would care for her selflessly, or was it all because she felt as he felt and was forced to act out of consideration for her own feelings? She whimpered at the thought, feeling the gnawing of guilt coming from using someone for self-gratification. Even know she loved Michael, but the bond stopped her from knowing the roots of these feelings. Breaking the bond maybe, testing the feelings after their minds were separate...no. Such a thing would cause great hurt for the other, the feeling of losing half of her for a discovery that may very well cause more heartbreak than she could bear. She would forever be stuck, unsure of herself, the doubt eating at her mind until the day the bond finally unravelled from her distrust. And by then it would be too late to fix anything. Maybe this was the reason relations between humans and Pokémon were scarce, few could withstand the heartbreak it could bring and the self pity it could cause. She curled into a ball and lay there, silently weeping to herself as she contemplated their future.

Michael emerged from the shower, drying himself with the rough towel that had been left hanging on the racks, forgotten by their previous owners. He ran his hand over his chin, making a quick decision that shaving would be too troublesome at this time, and besides, he kind of liked the look of a homeless wanderer. He made his way through the house, peering back into the bedroom to see Melody curled up on the bed. He found the emotions of doubt running through her as well, adding to the weight of his own burdens on his heart. He was making to go in, but stopped himself, thinking that if he didn't know the answer to this, what good was there in talking about it. But even as he had stopped himself, the movement was not unnoticed by her. She raised her head tiredly and gave an empty smile. He smiled back, the gesture devoid of any true meaning.

"Now you look like the man I first met" She said, moving closer as she stood from the warm bed, examining his now washed form, the grime gone from his skin, giving his features a softer look "except for the hair on your face, of course"

"Don't you like it?"

She stroked the coarse hair, feeling the roughness on her hands. "It's something new, I'll get used to it" she mused "Maybe I'll grow to like it, but right now you look like a long haired Slaking" Michael took no offence, even though he did like the look.

"Maybe I'll grow full beard and complete the look" He said, trying to lighten the mood, he succeeded marginally as she giggled at the idea of Michael sporting a large lumberjack like beard.

"Maybe a shower would help you too" Michael said, gently wiping a spot of grime from her cheek "You've got dirt all over you" Indeed the dust and filth were easily spotted on her white skin, smudging the dress she wore and dirtying her hair. She laughed dully, finding herself to be in a rather sorry state.

"Yes, maybe it will help me relax" she said, but her voice gave n weight to the statement. They both knew that they were ignoring the issue, but neither was willing to bring it up and risk hurting the other with their doubt. So in the end, Melody moved out the door while Michael could only stand dumbly and watch the sun light fall onto the spot she once laid.

When evening faded over the house, bringing with it the chill of night, all the Pokémon stationed around the house lay down to rest, the days patrolling having reached its much waited end. The absol was the only one who ventured closer to the house out of the three, seeming not to mind the human dwelling as it made its way into the front living room and dropping before the fireplace. It frowned at the cold and blackened hearth in front of it. It dipped its head, a small, ghostly white hot ember forming at the tip of its horn and gliding towards the fireplace. Will did not notice it, only looking up when the ember sparked fire that flared over the half charred wood settled in amongst the ashes. The absol gave a contented smile as it lowered its head, resting in warmth of the flames. Will had spent the good part of an hour debating with the strange psychic creature over how they could help in the unthinkable task he was undertaking. He had relented to the creature's suggestions and accepted their help in the end, agreeing to teach them all they needed to know for what they would do. He admitted that he was thankful for the help, as the mission he carried out was heavy on his shoulders. Trying to find a way to reverse this whole disaster. He wondered idly if any of the other world's scientists had caught on to what was happening yet, or if they were still shaking their heads at the blue turtle that just popped in front of them. Finding a stable portal was something he did in hopes it would enlighten him on how this was even possible. If Pokémon were as powerful in that dimension as the story stated they were in this one, then something in their world had to help. The only thing that could help them in this world was God, and he was no here to be seen at the moment. The Pokémon world contained the powers of creation incarnate, but even he had his doubts that a God could stop a cosmic event such as this, if he had power over his world and none of the others. Time was their most powerful ally and most hateful enemy in this case. As the dimensions tore at themselves, the portals became more stable, allowing for easier access. He sparred a glance over to his 'partners', as they busied themselves with his laptop, being fed readings from the various machines he had set up all over the estate. They monitored tachyon levels in a small radius of the farm, looking for influxes or other signs that may point to a portal opening. He turned his head as he heard the shuffling of feet on the carpeted stairway, seeing Michael descend and move into the kitchen, returning in a short while with a glass of water. He observed the leaders working through the massive amount of data fed through the computer setup. Only four were monitoring the system, the others were sitting on the ground, apparently resting themselves.

"How's the research going?" He asked, wondering if the Pokémon would be suitable assistants when they knew little of what they were dealing with. Will made an exaggerated gesture as he pointed at them sternly

"They seemed to have learned what took me three years of study and exams in an afternoon" he said "Their mental capacity is amazing, within the first hour they understood the basics of physics, and by the end of the session, I had them reciting quantum string theory equations from memory"

"So they can now do pretty much anything you can?" Michael said, amazed that the Pokémon could gain the knowledge of a near geriatric professor in such a short time span.

"Yes..." Will said gruffly "And it would thrill me if they didn't make me feel like I had wasted twelve years of my life compiling a theory, mastered by greenhorns in hours."

"You're jealous, aren't you?" Michael chuckled. Will grew red in the face.

"Yes I'm jealous! It's an insult to the human intellect!" He threw up his arms "They can process the data the machines feed them, faster than the machines can give it!"

"Isn't that a good thing?"

"Oh yes, and it only destroys decades of technological progress" Will muttered, looking over at the group of creatures. "They might as well be a supercomputer, using their complete mental strength, and then linking it all with their telepathy nonsense"

"But you needed a supercomputer" Michael sat down on the chair opposite "You've gotten one better"

"I didn't want a supercomputer that made me feel so imbecilic..." Will mumbled. The jealousy he could deal with in the long run, knowing the usefulness of the creatures' great minds.

"Maybe you should have listened more in class, then" Michael remarked. Will grunting at the light-hearted jab. Silence followed. The white furred absol still lay curled up by the fire, ears perking throughout their talk. It was a while before Michael shifted uncomfortably in his chair. Clearing his throat, his speech stuttered slightly as he spoke

"Will, could I ask you a...personal question" He said. Will raised an eyebrow to this, but remarked none the less

"Go on"

"What do you think of Melody and my...relationship?" he said hesitantly. Will considered the question for a moment. Melody and Michael had been involved ever since they had started their run from the chaos that was surely unfolding in the world right now. He didn't know what caused the attraction, and in all honesty couldn't morally judge the relationship either. Two sentient creatures of different species in love, unheard of since humans had always been the only sentient species on the planet.

"You both seem happy with one another...I can't seem to find any fault in it ethically, but I can't imagine what it's like, myself...You two are probably the only couple of this type on the planet..." He said, drawing out his thoughts on the subject. "I guess I'm indifferent to it"

"Do you think it would work?" Michael asked flatly, making will collect more thoughts on the matter

"Emotionally yes, physically probably...in terms of other factors, I can't be sure" he mused. "It's worked so far"

"Do you think?" Michael said curiously

"If the attraction is mutual, then yes...If it were primal urges then no" Will said as he tried to factor various things he knew about Pokémon into the problem, which was honestly, not much. "But her mind is evolved enough to suppress these urges, like we can"

"You think she's equal to a human then?"

"In mental facilities and emotional state" Will said, choosing his words with care "But her body is still very different, an unstable set of chromosomes, extremely adaptive DNA, increased sensory perception-"

"Were you ever married?" Michael asked abruptly "Did you ever face problems in it?" Will was surprised at how direct he was being. He didn't try to ease into the personal topic, he just asked straight out. He motioned to the tan line around his right hand ring finger

"Yes, I was married. My wife's name was Barbara" He said, thinking back to his salad days as a professor in his city university. "We had a few problems...long hours mostly, not being able to see each other as much as we'd have liked to. She also couldn't stand to hear me wail on about the quantum theories I was writing, it went right over her head. She didn't believe them anyways"

"Believe what of you?" Michael asked, wondering why she wouldn't trust his knowledge. Will removed a small golden cross from one of his shirt's cuffs, glittering in the fire light; it had been a necklace originally but now was fashioned into a cufflink.

"She never believed any of the quantum origin theories I had. She was raised Jewish by her parents in Britain; although she turned to Christianity near the end of her life"

"End? How did she die?" he asked, Will sighed as he replaced the cross cufflink

"Breast cancer took her, Chemo wasn't enough." He said "Even though she didn't believe me when I showed her my papers, she still didn't mind me doing what I did. Although, her parents were less than pleased when they found that she had married an atheistic quantum theorist. I still remember her arguing with her father, a large Russian fellow built like a train, all night from across the hall" He laughed at the memories that were now so far away.

"So, the problems came from your differences?" Michael probed

"Yes, but that was why we loved each other. The differences made us always surprise one another"

"Wouldn't the differences cause mistrust? Didn't you feel like she didn't really feel for you because you were different, the marriage forced her?" Michael asked. Wills face darkened slightly, brow creased in thought.

"That question is oddly specific" He said "Does this relate to Melody by any chance?"

Michaels silence was all the answer Will needed. He began to explain

"We knew we loved each other not because the differences caused conflict, but because we could put them aside. They interfered sometimes, but the result was always the same. We'd brush it off and laugh about it later" He said, removing his worn spectacles as he rubbed his tired eyes "Forcing someone to love you through money or bragging or fear will make them want to abandon you at the first chance they get, not because of what you gave, but because of what you didn't give. If you give acceptance and care, then they will give this back, because they know the well will never run dry"

"But how can you know?" Michael said solemnly, glass of water untouched in his hands "How can you know that they love you, and it's not a ruse they put up unknowingly?"

"That's one thing you have to trust her about. Trust that she loves you and it'll be known soon enough" Will said knowingly

"It's not...easy" Michael remarked "The doubt is..."

"I don't know what caused this change in you" Will said in a grandfatherly like tone, wise and tired "But I won't intrude on the problem with curiosity. You'll have to work it out yourself, but take some of what I've said to heart" They were silent after this, Michael still deep in his thoughts. Will couldn't fathom what had changed in the boy, something must have happened while he was away to cause this mistrust, he thought as he reclined on the couch, listening to the sound the crickets singing outside the window.

The house bathroom was equipped with a bathtub, something Michael had no use for, but something Melody enjoyed. She had let herself lie silently in the water for well over an hour, the steamy warmth bleeding away some of her worries, but not all. The doubt she felt was like a bug, crawling through her mind and eating away at her resolve. Even after the bath had been drained and she had dried, it still remained. The rest of the evening was spent in the bedroom, watching the Pokémon scouts from the window and remembering how easy life had been before this. It wasn't a life she liked to live, being alone and never pursuing a mate, but it was an easy one which brought her peace. In this world, everything seemed so much more complicated. Meaningless problems stemmed from pointless arguments with solutions that led nowhere. A bump from the roof drew her from these thoughts, someone was up there. Opening the window, she gently levitated herself out and upwards, she hoped it wasn't Michael, not ready for another meeting that would end with the same emptiness it started with. As she crested the roof's edge she spotted the red hair of the travelling priest, Tom. He was sitting on the room; rifle propped up over one knee as he surveyed the field unwaveringly. The rings under his eyes were deeper, becoming shadowed valleys in his pale face, and eyelids drooping slightly as he stared, utterly focused. Melody spoke gently, as not to alarm him.

"Thomas?" She said, the projection, although gentle, still caused him to jump in surprise. He looked over, his eyes unfocussed from the sudden adjustment.

"Aye, evenin' Melody" He said, shrugging off the greeting as he went back to his surveying. His Irish accent became rather pronounced in his sleep deprived state. Melody moved closer, trying to draw some response from the withdrawn man.

"You seem tired, Thomas" She said, caring tone soft enough for Tom to let out a sigh as his aim wavered slightly "How long has it seem since you rested?"

"Two days maybe?" he said, trying to refocus his vision, squinting into the scope.

"That is far too long to go without rest" She said, sitting down near the small box or ordinance he kept by his side. "What possessed you to do this?"

"We need t' keep watch, something could go wrong at any minute"

"But we have not seen the army for days, surely they have forgotten this place?" she said, attempting to reason with him

"It's not t' army I'm worrying 'bout" He said carefully. Melody followed his aim, seeing it tracking the Mightyena as it waded through the fields. She turned to him with concern in her eyes.

"You are worried...about the other Pokémon?" She asked, wondering why he would fear them when they offered peace.

"Aye..."

"But...do you trust me?" she said, hoping his fear of the Pokémon didn't extend to her

"I've been travelling with you an' Michael for a while now" He said, lowing the scope to massage his eyes "Yes, I trust ye"

"Then...why do you fear them" She asked again "Do you think they want to harm us?"

"No, I..." He couldn't finish his sentence

"Do you think they might run away and leave us helpless?" She asked, softer now as she saw the expressions quickly churn over his face.

"No, But they..." He stuttered, once again unable to speak

"They are friends, Thomas" she said, urging him to leave and relax, as the man desperately needed it "There's no reason to fear them"

"I can't leave..." He muttered "Too many risks..."

"Thomas, what is the problem?" She asked, forcefully this time. He was troubled but refused to budge from his spot, rejecting her words. His rifle lowered and his eyes stared into the horizon, as if looking upon a land a thousand miles away, entranced by the sight. He face contorted subtly, displaying emotions deep within his mind as whatever he was watching took place. His mouth opened and closed, losing the words in his vision. He answered slowly as he came back to reality.

"...It's...complicated" He took up his rifle again and sat silently in the cold evening breeze. Melody shivered at the winds cutting cold, moving off the roof, heading for the warmth of home. She cast one last look at Tom, seeing his head dipped in a disturbed silence, the life gone from his gaze. He seemed truly a man who had known the trials of hell and fought demons who now bound his tongue, silencing his ministry and weakening his faith.


	12. Chapter 12

For a few days, the routine the group went through was the same. Will instructed the tribe leaders, now his assistants, in what needed to be monitored and done. Tom would sit for hours on the rooftop, rifle in his hand, box of ammunition at his side. Sometimes they saw him sitting there with his rifle lowered and his head dipped, setting sleep overtake him for maybe an hour or two before jolting awake, shaking the tiredness from his head and taking up watch once again. None of them had been able to talk him out of it, or coax anything out of him about what was troubling him. They left him alone in the end, knowing they weren't going to get through to him, but it didn't ease their concern. Michael and Melody, although drawn to one another, made an attempt to avoid each other. The link they shared was still strong, making the avoidance all more the worse when they knew each other's grief. But out of some misplaced sympathy for themselves, they didn't talk about it, fearing that talk would only further the doubt in their minds. Being the only ones with nothing to do, they busied themselves with various things to keep the boredom from their minds. Michael had gathered some of his art supplies out of the car and moved them inside. He would then sit on the porch or in the fields and draw anything that captured his interest. Most of the sketches he made came down to the old, rusted machinery lying about, testing his skills with all their geometric angles and contrasting curves. Sometimes he would draw the vistas he was given from the bedroom window or the seat on the porch, capturing the infinite expanse of field and field and sky in front of him. During the rare times Melody was near, he chose her as a subject. He felt strange as he sketched a realistic picture of someone who was never supposed to be real. The other Pokémon around him became subjects too, resembling ordinary animals with a gleam of intelligence in their eyes, which too, was strange and difficult to communicate through paper. Melody talked to the other Pokémon a lot, having been isolated from her kind for so long it made sense to be drawn to them. She talked with them about her experiences in detail, and they shared their stories of how they came to be in this world, the curiosity was mutual. She early talked with all of them save one, that lone Blaziken as he fixed his cold glare on the group from afar, uncommunicative with nearly anyone. What she had gotten out of him consisted of simple answers to equally simple questions, containing nothing of significant value. The others knew little of him as well, only that he was from northern Hoenn, was the father of that single Torchic, and never to threaten him or his son. The Pokémon themselves increased in bravery while patrolling, coming closer to the house and not shirking the idea of sleeping inside where it was warm. The Absol who had been using the living room mat for her bed every night belonged to a trainer, Melody discovered, and so was used to humans and their dwellings. When she asked the Absol if she missed her trainer, she had simply told her

"A bit, but being free again is nice"

"Don't you miss his friendship?" she had asked, knowing that the Pokémon she knew who had been captured often became friends with their new trainers if they were fortunate enough to be caught by a kind trainer.

"Kid was young, too focused on battling and travelling, it was irritating"

"I would have loved to travel" She said, thinking back to the deep green forest she has been confined to, where each new acre had seemed like a wonder to her.

"Trust me, it isn't as good as it sounds" Absol replied "Long walks and climbs up mountains, cold snow and chilly winds, and my fur was always horribly dirty with something. I would just have been happy to stay in that mountain town with the hot pools, it was so relaxing after climbing for so long to reach it" Despite her warnings, it didn't deter Melody from her fantasies about exploration and adventure through the wild lands of the Hoenn region and beyond.

The two had continued to talk of life with a trainer, Melody wanting to know of all the places she had seen while she herself had been unwilling to leave her tribe in the forest, and the tales she heard from the Absol amazed her. The stories passed on from Swellows and Tailows who heralded the news to her tribe were nothing next to this. The Absol had travelled from forest, through desert and across tundra, all within a year or so. It made her yearn to go back to the world and take the chance she never took, bringing Michael along to share the thrills of sightseeing. This world could be interesting enough, but hers was a place where they had little chance of being killed or pursued. Through these discussions, the two struck up a friendship rather quickly, easing the loneliness she felt when she wasn't with Michael. The Absol was curious of their relationship, as most of the others were, but she showed a more intimate interest, asking now how they came together, but why they were together. Melody retold her story of how they had met, going into more detail than they had done at the camp, but some things she withheld, such as the bond which she had made in a time of weakness. The Absol was content to hear her story, remarking on the two when she finished.

"Seems like you too got closer really quick" She said "Not surprising when he may have saved your life"

"Yes, we did grow close easily" Melody said "Maybe it was because he just wanted a friend, his life before seemed very lonely"

"I think he got more than he asked for when he asked for a friend" She replied, smiling "It's nice to know that you got together, even though you must have seem strange to him"

"Strange? Apart from being a different species?" Melody asked

"You didn't act like a human would have back then" She observed "And even now you act differently, but he treated you like one and didn't remark on it"

She looked towards the fire burning in the hearth that had become her sleeping area, muscles tired from the day's patrols

"You were new, different, maybe that's what he wanted" She explained, laying her head on her front paws and closing her eyes to rest "Someone different"

Maybe the Absol didn't know the wisdom in her words, but Melody thought over them for a long while. She was different, and this she knew, but that was what Michael wanted? He loved her because she wasn't like anyone else, because of how she acted, thought and spoke. She was fresh start with someone who wouldn't fall prey to the ways of humanity, because humanity was foreign to her, maybe as it seemed to him. A man who no longer knew if he was human, found love in someone inhuman, and didn't question it for a second. Even though the bond forced their minds to feel as one, the acceptance was still there. He could have rejected her but remained close, was it all him? or was it the bond that sparked this feeling? It gave comfort in that even if the bond had forced his hand in love, maybe he had accepted it willingly instead of waiting for the bond to force him into the feeling. But even still, it worried her more. No matter how comforting the advice was, the state of doubt she had some to hate so much over these left few days, ate at her heart, pushing away any attempts to console her. With every bit of her being, she hated it.

Currently, night had fallen over the house once again. Will was sleeping on the living room couch, now his de facto bed; while the group of leaders, save one, had teleported themselves back to the camp. Michael had been out on the porch, sketching dark forms of Pokémon he saw in the fields, silhouetted by the moonlight. But the moon having clouded over, he now headed inside for the night. The warmth of the house stung his flesh, cold from the night air, as he made his way through the living room. Will didn't stir at the laugh Michael gave at the sight of him, eyeglasses skewed, great wide mouth gaping over as he snored, looking like a caricature of himself. As he made his way up the stairs, he heard soft, shuddering breaths coming from the master bedroom. He placed his sketchbook aside on a hallway table and opened the door gently, peering inside. Melody sat on the edge of the bed, features bathed in the pale moonlight cast from the window she peered out of. Her breath came out softly, small whimpers interlacing them, failing to keep steady. Her shoulders shook and her head dipped as she sat upon the soft bed sheets. Michael made himself know, moving towards her.

"Melody?" He called gently, his call met with silence. He tried again

"Melody, Are you alright?" This time she weakly mumbled something, not turning her head to speak.

"What was that...?" He reached a hand towards her, trying to place it upon her shoulder. He was invisibly pushed back, Melody whipping her head around in a sudden burst of anger, her voice echoing inside Michael head

"Leave me alone!" She screamed, anger true in her voice, but not in her face. For Michael now saw the tears that had fallen from her eyes, breaths becoming whimpering gasps as she glared at him, he stood seeing a side of her he had only seen once before.

"What's wrong...you...I..." He stammered tenderly. Michael couldn't find anything to say after her outburst, no comforting words came to mind for someone so deep in rage. She didn't let him think of any as she closed the gap between them, the furious sorrow still etched into her face as she leaned into his.

"You're the problem! I'm the problem!" She shrieked, slamming his chest with her fists, trying to pound him away "I won't talk to you, you won't talk to me but I want to see you and you want to see me..." Her voice broke more and more the further she spoke, her blows became weaker and weaker until they were just gentle pats and her voice broke into deep sobs and loud whines. Michael could do nothing at this moment but slowly put his arms around her, letting her let everything out as his own tears flowed down his face, dripping through her hair. The floodgates broke as guilt spilled from his heart.

"I'm sorry...I'm sorry, Melody, I'm sorry!" He cried, it was all he could think of as he apologised for everything wrong he had ever made. He cried for the times he had avoided her, he cried for the times he didn't speak up, he cried for the times he hadn't held her just that extra second longer to let her know he wanted to fix everything he could.

"I'm so tired..." Melody wept "I don't want it...anything..." She cried for the doubt driving them apart, and for the bond that caused it, the unbreakable curse.

Under the pale moonlight of an autumn night, they wept for each other, knowing that all this sorrow for the other did nothing to solve anything. Yet it was all they could do to try and prove their love, using a force with drove them away in an attempt to dispel the doubt of their feelings. They fell asleep in each other's arms that night, just like the time they first met, and Melody had been scared of the world, now it was Michaels turn to be the one scarred of the world. That it may never give them the chance they needed.

Sleep was only a temporary gift however, as they were awoken during the early hours of the morning, the sun had not risen and the stars still shone in the dark sky. What had woken them was the sound of metallic clanking and banging coming from down stairs, followed by the slam of a car door. They pulled away from each other reluctantly, fearing that letting go would set them adrift again. They made their way out of the bedroom, continuing down the stairs to find Will gathering all the various gear he had set up throughout the living room, the leaders were helping as well, easily lifting the equipment psychically. Will didn't notice them until Michael cleared his throat. He turned to Michael, then quickly back to the equipment he was dismantling, speaking quickly to them.

"The sensors in the field picked up some tachyon spikes, we need to go" He said, placing the components of the machine into a box and then heaving it from the table, making for the door.

"Go where?" Michael asked, stopping him as he awkwardly turned to face them, box of parts putting him on a lean

"To find it, of course. Isn't that why I was monitoring it in the first place?" he replied matter-of-factly

"But...does this mean it's another portal?" Michael asked, hope flared in Melody's chest, Michael could feel it, it was a welcomed feeling from the sadness and grief they had shared for these last few days.

"Maybe, it may just be a small rift" He continued to edge closer to the door, eager to leave. Michael thought it wise to follow; if Will wanted to leave so quickly then time must be important. They moved quickly into the icy morning air, Melody shivering as the warmth of home left her. Michael kept badgering Will for details as they moved swiftly towards the car, already idling by now.

"How far away is it?" He asked

"Can we go through it?" Melody joined in the questioning "Where would it go...H-how long will it last?"

"Will we be able to come back?" Michael asked cautiously, Will dumped the box into the car trunk and slammed the lid closed.

"Too many questions!" He said, his voice stressed and dire "Get in, I'll see if I can talk along the way". He motioned for them to get into the car, they did so as he positioned himself in the driver's seat and unceremonially lurched the car forward. Not caring for the gravel and dirt it threw up or for the engine's weary chugs. Melody and Michael were pressed to their seats as Will accelerated well past the speed limit. They were dragged right as the car turned out of the long driveway and back onto the main road. Melody just noticed that they were missing someone

"Where's Tom?" she asked, knowing that leaving him there may seem like abandonment. Wills eyes were still trained on the road as he answered

"Back there. He was asleep, finally, and this would have all just unnerved the man" Will said, adjusting a small GPS system on his dashboard which had enough wires sprouting from it to be mistaken for a very large black spider "He's unstable enough already"

"He's just scarred" Melody said "It's...natural for someone...who hasn't seen us before"

"And that is why you don't give a paranoid catholic a gun" He said, muttering to himself "It'll be the crusades all over again..."

"I asked before, but how far away is this portal?" Michael said, knowing that despite there being time, he may not get a straight answer

"I told you, it may not be a portal, and I don't know, I'm still tracking the burst" He said, fiddling with more settings on the GPS system enough that Michael was beginning to worry he would run off the road.

"If it is, can we go through it?" Melody hastily asked, eager to get a positive answer

"Normally, that would cause you to be ripped apart, burned, radiated, frozen, eviscerated and sub atomically annihilated all at one time" Will answered, Michael paling slightly for the idea of going through one now "But given the circumstances, it might be stable enough for you to make it through"

"For how long?" Melody continued

"I don't know! Those bloody assistants of mine will be figuring all that out" he said, motioning out the window. They both saw the way that the leaders flew alongside the car on the various flying Pokémon that had brought them here, the younger one which seemed to be feeling rather dangerous, was riding on the back of the Mightyeena.

"The longer we take to get there, the less time we have to observe it. It would be best to just catch the thing at inception" He explained "What do hope to accomplish by going through anyway?"

In all honesty, it was just Melody's desire to see her world once again. Much would have changed, towns may be laid to waste and abandoned, Pokémon could roam free around the streets. It seemed so far away to her and Michael now. It was unlikely they would find anything useful.

"I...I just want to visit there again" Melody answered, the best reason she could think of.

"So I'm just some bloody inter-dimensional tourist agent?" Will yelled theatrically "All this trouble to give you two a short vacation?"

"We might find something" Michael said, knowing the very real chances of accomplishing nothing with this, his response was just an excuse for this chance to see a world where he and Melody could be free.

"What could you find that would possibly help reverse any of this?" Will asked. This was a catastrophe on a godly scale, one which wouldn't be solved by help from a random stranger or from some mythical item. It was one which seemed to have no solution, and would happen occur no matter what any person in either world did. "This is whole thing pointless"

"Then why are you coming along?" Michael mused

"In hopes that I'm wrong..." Will muttered, turning back to the GPS system and continuing his work.

The atmosphere in the car darkened after this, no talk of the coming ordeal, just stuffy darkness and the rumbling of the tarmac below them. They drove for only a short while, but with all the stops and turns Will made, it seemed like much longer. He constantly doubled back, retraced his steps and made abrupt U-turns in a frustrated attempt to find a road to the place he was seeking. The GPS system displayed their destination as a small blue dot in the middle of a blank patch, inaccessible by road. Will found the closest spot to the place and parked the car on the side of the road. This area was remote and the risk of detection was nil, but the doubt was in their minds that they may be seen by someone with unsavoury ideas. After all, surely there were people in the same position as them, forced away from their home and now travelling the country in seek of sanctuary. They left the car, stepping out to observe the area they had stopped in. Small open fields surrounded them, interlaced between bush and forest. Moonlight illuminated the field, blanketing an air of clam over the area, making it seem like some sort of fairytale garden. Shadows danced over the land as long grass swayed in the wind, revealing invisible waves of wind. Without a word, Will set off across the field, gallivanting over the wire fence, GPS system in hand, forcing Michael and Melody to hurry in order to keep up. Being a small field, they both stopped not far from the edge and watched will trek aimlessly about the area. Will twisted and turned as he walked through the field, eyes constantly on the GPS. This was the supposed location where the portal may open, but the GPS reading was anything but precise. It only used data from what they had picked up while back at the house, if anything, the spot could be anywhere from a few metres to a mile away from where they were now. But Will trusted his numbers, having checked and rechecked his calculation for distance, direction and time. Will stooped suddenly, eyes running over the GPS screen before he placed it in his pocket. He called out to the leaders, who had set down now on the open field, to start bringing out all the equipments from the trunk of the car. Michael and Melody simply watched as they transported the scientific machines needed to measure various things, not wanting to break will out of the now near trance like state he was in as he wordlessly rebuilt the machines, tweaking settings and running wires from one to another. A large battery sat next to him as he worked, half of the machines apparently being powered from it. Michael took this time to ask Melody about her world, and what he could expect.

"Do you still want to go back?" he asked, voice betraying he hidden concern

"It's hard for me to know" She answered "I want to see my world again...and I wish I could return, but..." Michael blamed himself for this conflict of interest. The bond they shared meant they were drawn to one another. She couldn't stay, the anchor of the bond pulling her back to him. Doubt still played in his mind, in both their minds, of their true feelings. If he remained with her, she could never leave this world, and neither of them could abandon Will and Tom to fend for themselves. The world which would accept them taunted them instead, with something they knew they could never have.

"...You don't have to stay" he said "I...don't want to weight you down, you...could go back to your life" Michael failed at the attempt of sincerity, making it sound as if he wasn't trying to push her away, perhaps purposefully in an attempt to guilt her back, he didn't know.

"What life?" she answered solemnly "You wouldn't be there, my tribe would be gone, and I would be alone"

"I could be there" He interjected, trying to convince her that he really did want to love her "I could go with you if wanted to stay, we-we could still have a life"

"Michael, you know you couldn't..."

"Yes, I could!" He said, utterly pleading with her now "I could go with you and we could find a place in the world, we could be happy"

"Then why aren't we happy now?" She asked poignantly, deep sorrow resounding through her; Michael felt its pang as the battle was slowly lost "What chance do we have at happiness there, when we can't be happy here?"

"Melody..." He murmured "Do you really love me?" Melody was silent for a while. Michael could feel the mixture of emotions coming off her, her eyes reflecting the churning of thoughts in the white light of the night. The question that had been on both their minds since the admission Melody had made in the camp those short days ago, and it was once which depended on the answer of the other. An answer that neither wanted to risk hearing. Again, she turned to him; sadness welled in her voice, but she spoke the truth in clear tones, the words that caused Michael the shattering pain of heartbreak for the first time in many long years.

"I don't know..."

Michael knew she could feel the sorrow dragging in his chest, and that hurt him all the more. The empty feeling, reminded him of the times in his life in which he had gravely contemplated suicide. Even for someone like himself, the thought of suicide was often far from his mind, and only had been thought about it twice in life. The first was when he was young and naive, over some insignificant matter that held no real bearing, but the second stretched over years. The second time was every day at that lonely farmhouse, every day the thought would weigh heavy on his mind. The sadness he felt then was something he didn't understand, something that simply was. When Melody came, he forgot it all, to busy in trying to help her. It was the first time in an eternity that he had felt content, and he hadn't realised until now, when the person he leaned on for support couldn't say that she loved him for all he had given. This was the third time, and the one that hit strongest too. But he swallowed the bitter pill in his throat and simply put an arm over Melody's shoulder, trying to savour the feeling before it would lose meaning. Melody let her shoulders fall in despair, trying to enjoy the lingering feeling of his touch. She reached up with both hands and held the one draped over her shoulder, feeling the warmth that contrasted to the cold night air around them.

It was then; something new overcame Michael as he felt her hold onto his hand, gently pulling it close. The feeling that welled up inside him as they stood so intimately for a couple who were unsure of their love, was one that was foreign to him, so long forgotten from him that it took a second it realise what it was. Hope. The hope that he may still be able to redeem them both, to prove himself to her and know that in doing so, he did adore her with every ounce of himself. He grasped Melody's hands in return of her gesture and turned her head gently towards him, as so he was gazed into her eyes as deeply as he could. To the deep ruby eyes he stared into, he spoke

"You may not know now, Melody, but I swear, I'm going to prove myself to you. and nothing, not even all this, will stop me" he said, every word pure as his hope for them. He pulled her close and kissed her, softly and caringly. He looked back at her, feeling himself smile gently as he said the words

"Now I can't break that promise"

Melody stood in a trance, Will called out to them and Michael called back, but she heard neither of them. Only did she break from it when Michael gently pulled her along with him, towards Will. All the equipment had been set up and calibrated while they were talking; the leaders had positioned themselves at various consoles, all transfixed on their duties. Will was looking slightly tired from the quick set up of all the gear he had taken, and spoke slightly out of breath.

"The equipment is set up, we were right, this is the area emitting the tachyons" He stopped, taking a few deep breaths before continuing "We estimate at the rate of expansion, the portal could possibly open within only a few minutes. He glanced back at the area in which a large black dish was aimed on a tripod. "We cut it rather close"

"How long will it be open for?" Melody asked, eager to show Michael her world, and eager to return and see what had happened in her absence.

"Right now, we aren't sure, but I would say..." Will flicked numbers off his fingers, making motions as if drawing on a chalkboard "...about three hours at least?". Melody was disappointed in the short time they would be there. They couldn't stray too far from the exit, knowing that they had to come back before the hours were up, and to lose it would be disastrous. Will saw the disappointed look and tried to encourage her

"But maybe more, we can get a better estimate when it does open" He said, again flicking the numbers off his hand, trying to mentally calculate such a vast sum at such a precise level. In the middle of this, he snapped his fingers with a small "ah". He moved over one of the boxes on the group and drew some small plastic bags, sealable.

"Get me some samples of flora and fauna" He said with enthusiasm "and anything technological if you can!". The Pokémon world as imagined in this world, was supposed to be very technologically advanced, and Will relished the thought of examining the inner workings of something as mystifying as a pokeball or other seemingly impossible tools. Michael looked to him amusedly

"Still eager to study something, since you can't get willing subjects?" he asked

"Think of it as payment for making me drive here this early, just to send you two on a holiday" He removed his eyeglasses and wiped away some moisture that had condensed on the lens "ah, how I'd love to go myself, but until I'm sure these ones can handle it, I'll have to stay"

"Or don't you want to risk it before we see if it's safe?" Melody asked in mock accusation "You let us make sure this won't kill you"

"That may play a part..." Will answered quietly, trying to dismiss the question "But anything you find will help, I may be able to do something useful with it here". Will looked at his watch impatiently, like a youth waiting for a great display of fireworks set up in his own backyard. There was still no indication of any portal, or anything at all in fact, but they simply had to trust him in knowing what he was doing. He suddenly flinched, arm jerking slightly as he let out a yelp of surprise. He answered their questioning looks

"Something bit me, most likely a mosque-ah!" he yelped yet again, rubbing the spot under his watch to dull the sharp jolts from before. Once again he yelped, swatting at the air, thinking bugs flew around him in the dark field. He quickly removed his watch and dropped it to the ground, rubbing the now red spot on his wrist. Their eyes all caught the flicker of light below them. They all looked down to the light emanating from the dropped watch, growing lighter as it began to buzz. But when they looked closer, they could see streams of light dancing over the silver surface, crackling and popping. Michael tensed as he felt his hair stand on end; Melody's did the same, stray strands floating in the air as if submerged. The buzzing from the watch grew louder, but now other things drew their attention. The buzzing increased as sparks of light jumped from the metallic casings of scattered equipment and tall grass of the field, the air now charging with the feeling of the raw power. Will quickly ushered them back as the sparks grew to form large chains of lightning, illuminating the area further with their pearly glow. The leaders quickly stepped back along with them, not wanting to temp a stray arc. The Mightyeena who had accompanied them growled at the sceptical, lowering his front as if to intimidate it. The buzzing reached a crescendo, as a loud bang erupted, the buzzing beginning to build again. Each bang grew closer together as the light grew to near blinding and the stray arcs of energy danced around them, illuminating the faces of the leaders who stood with a mixture of awe and terror in their eyes. Despite the bright light blinding them, they all noticed the bulge in the heart of the lightning storm, growing as shrinking, looking as if the world had be sucked through a fish eye lens. The bulge withdrew sharply as the final, loudest bang was cast. Michael's ears rang as the sound faded, the pinched area of space bow stood still, floating harmlessly in the air. They were about to start forward, before a final burst of light shed from the distortion and cast them back. They all looked on in silent awe as space and time rent itself, pinching reality further, a white abyss filling the centre where nothing remained. Will stood stupefied, only coming to grips as the Mightyneena let out a large bark, after which he hastily moved foward, urging his assistants with him. They cautiously took their places near the equipment and lapsed back into their trance like state of calculation. Will quickly conversed with the once who remained conscious, though still in deep thought. The two exchanged chains of numbers and data, relaying information to and from all of the leaders who gazed into the screens before them. Will looked over at Michael and Melody, calling to them

"Get over here, come on now, this is your chance!" He beckoned. They both hurried over, will stopping them before they could step close to the crack of dead white light in the dark area. The sound of buzzing was still present, quieter than before, but still loud enough for will to near yell his instructions.

"You have roughly five hours in there" He bellowed "Don't stray too far or you might lose the portal". He reached into the box near his feet and pulled out a small metal object. He pressed it into Michael's hand, Michael realising from the grip of the item that it was a pistol, shocked that Will would give him it before they left for a world they hoped to find good. He yelled to will over the piercing shriek of the portal

"Where did you get this?"

"Took it from Tom while he was asleep, he won't miss it!" Will yelled back, stepping aside and gesturing to the tear in reality, yelling louder and more demanding than before.

"Now go!"

Michael and Melody stood before the great abyss that would lead them past the thresholds of reality and into a new and frightening world. Melody slowly grasped Michael's hand in reassurance, the thought of his promise still fresh in her mind, she gently smiled.

"Do you want to see my world?" She asked, her voice calmly clear in his mind over the din around them, he smiled genuinely and replied, thoughts being as clear as hers were

"More than anything"

And with that, they stepped forward, feeling gravity shift, pulling them further. Then at the edge, they placed one leg after the other though the gap, hands together, bound for a new and perhaps amazing world.


	13. Chapter 13

The feeling of being pulled across an area void of even time and space was not a present one. The feeling of having one's body accelerated to well beyond the speed of light, followed by a jarring stop, feeling like a fist to every conceivable area of your body. Despite travelling for less than a second, it felt like much more to them both as fear gripped their minds while they reeled through the fabric of reality. The air was drawn from their lungs, leaving them to futilely gasp for nonexistent oxygen as the screams of particles whizzing past clawed their ears. They held onto each other's hands tightly, fearing they would be pulled apart and flung opposite ways, never to be seen again. They emerged for the portal with a stumble, the sudden ending of the ordeal being rather jarring to the both of them. Michael fell to his knees as he gulped down mouthfuls of sweet air. Melody steadied herself, head spinning from the journey, world appearing hazy around her. As they both regained their senses, they looked around to survey the area. Michael silently gasped at the place, green trees stretching for miles, grass shimmering in the midday light as beads of dew clung to them. The whole area was just so much more vivid, so much more alive than anything he had ever seen. He could feel the life of the place as he took in every little detail of the perfect landscape, unspoiled by human touch. The sound of the wind dancing over the leaves and distant birdsong brought a feeling of peace to his heart which he had felt for no other place. If there was ever a heaven, this would be the closest thing his mortal being would reach. Melody too, took in the sights, heart leaping at the idea of finally being back home in the place she knew. Her breath caught in her throat at the familiar sight of the swallow high in the sky, visible through thick canopy. The sound of the portal raging behind them was all forgotten as they began to walk, holding hands once again as they silently marvelled at the place they had been brought to.

"It's beautiful" Michael said as they strolled under the thick roof of leaves, still in awe at the place

"It's home..." Melody replied, not caring if this was Hoenn or Sinnoh or Jhoto. It was her home and she loved it regardless. Michael struggled to ask a question through the peace he felt

"Where to now?" he asked "Rustboro? Dewford or Slateport?" he laughed as he recalled the name of the Hoenn regions towns , a sound which was strange to him after all that had happen, that he could now enjoy something as jubilantly as when he was only a child. "I don't even know if we're in Hoenn, but we're here...finally". Melody contemplated all the things they could do now that she was home and in a world where neither of them would be seen as strangers.

"We could try and find someone else" She said, scanning the area for any sign of civilisation "They could tell us where we are...and how this place has changed". Michael nodded, knowing that the situation here would be just as bad as the one in his world, if not worse. But the forested areas seemed ample enough for thousands of people to inhabit, and if they had been driven from their towns, maybe they did. A pained thought came to mind as he thought of the scale of this new place.

"We only have five hours, don't we?" Michael said sombrely, feeling regret at having to leave this place after such a short time. A place that made him feel this way, it simply didn't seem right to leave.

"Yes" she replied, leaning on his shoulder affectionately. She cared not for their time limit, only that they were here now, and it was not a dream. "So let's enjoy them". Her slight optimism made him smile. They walked further through the forest, trying to find anything that could help get somewhere. They eventually happened across a dirt road, common in this world, Melody has explained. Trainers often walked of rode bicycles to travel long distances, no cars were ever seen around these kinds of areas. They knew they couldn't stray too far from the area, fearful of losing the portal and being unable to find it again before their time was up. Michael marked the side of the road they had entered on to with a moss covered dead log found under one of trees, allowing them to leave the area confidently. They both held on to the sense of peace as they walked, the lack of traffic and development giving the appearance of an untouched world, all theirs to explore. Given the chance, Michael would have easily left his own world for a chance to explore this one, with Melody at his side, they would go everywhere. From the top of every mountain to the shores of every sea, they would go, seeing the world as they never did before. The sun was high in the sky, bright and yellow, it sent down rays of pleasing warmth. The air was thick with the smell of wood and grass, a smell familiar to Melody; bringing back the nostalgic memories that now seemed so far away. She remembered her forest home, the wild berry bushes and flowing streams, a perfect vision of nature locked in time.

They walked for near on an hour, stopping only when they observed a small plume of smoke rising from the canopy of trees along the pathway.

"Odd for anyone to be lighting a fire this early in the evening" Michael observed, if it even was evening, it was hard to tell when they had arrived so shortly ago.

"Should we check if anyone's there?" Melody asked, slightly nervous about who they might find, even if they peaceful people, she had never had much contact with humans before Michael, who wasn't even of her world.

"Well, we're probably not going to find anyone else soon" Michael said, starting off the trail and into the woods "But be careful, let's just observe them for a while" He cautioned. They moved off the beaten pathway and into the forest again, following the trail in the sky.

"I hear something..." Melody said, straining to identify the sound "It sounds like someone...singing". Michael picked up on the sound too, noticing it grow slowly louder as they walked on. Within a gap between the trees, Michael spotted the light of a fire, easy to make out, the glow illuminating the shadows cast by the leafy canopy. The singing was easy to hear now, low and soft like the voice on a mother, female in tone. They hid themselves slightly out of view, peering through the trees to try glimpse the area around the fire. They saw the fire, glow dulled slightly by a small black pot placed over the burning embers. Inside the pot, a smoky green liquid boiled, sending a scent of sweetness throughout the camp. To Michael, it was the smell of lavender he recognised all those weeks ago but to Melody, it was the smell of rawst berries, thick and sweet. Sitting beside the black pot was a young girl, no older than 15, singing softly under her breath. Short cut red hair lay flat on her head, a masculine appearance, while her eyes carried a look of worry. Her clothes were dirty, smudged with dirt and mud, baggy white and pink coat along with torn biker shorts hanging from her, her feet were bare and blistered. She stirred the mixture in the pot as she removed it from the flames, tongues of fire licking the pot as she lifted it. Set it aside, taking a knife and slicing open a small blue berry, letting the juice flow into the pot, mixing it in with a small brush. Only when she turned, did Melody notice the brown cloth laid out beside her, a small furred form resting on it. It was covered in short brown fur; small tufts of cream coloured fur covered its lower half, along with the tips of its ears. The creature looked much like a rabbit to Michael, small and fragile. The cream fur around its waist was matted and stained red, a deep noticeable gash where the fur had been cut away, still bleeding slightly whenever the creature breathed in and out. Smaller cuts and ruby stains were visible on its thin brown coat, darkening the fur. The girl took the brush from the pot and slowly drew it across the wound, spreading the green salve over the area, the creature winced slightly, but was apparently too weak to properly struggle, simply giving a weak movement as the girl continued to apply the green salve. She dabbed it onto the various cuts over the creature's fur, still singing all the while. The girl finished and began to bandage the creature, rolling thick white linen stripes over the drying green fluid. Michael nudged Melody, slowly motioning to move forward. They moved out of cover, slowly approaching the fire. Michael lightly called out

"Excuse me..." He tried to sound as unthreatening as possible. It didn't work well, however, as the girl rapidly spun around, grabbing and flinging the knife she had been using to cut berries towards them. Michael felt the knife glance over his cheek, bringing with it the sting of ripping flesh. The knife landed a short distance away, clattering to a stop at the base of one of the trees. Melody quickly tried to help him, fretfully examining the fresh cut, drawing a line of blood. Despite Michael's slow approach and even now, his defenceless position as he cupped the shallow cut on his cheek, the girl looked on with eyes of fear. She was defenceless, but Michael could sense that she feared him more than an attack on herself. She kept up her guard as she stuttered over a question

"D-don't try to take us, I c-can still kill you e-easily" Her voice betrayed the boldness in the words. Melody felt the emotions that poured off her, the poor girl had obviously been chased and attacked by someone to put her in this state of mixed emotions. Anger, fear, dread; all of these feelings radiated from her, and they were the source of it.

"We're not going to hurt you" Melody said, adding surprise to the girl's look of fear. "Please, calm yourself..."

The girl stumbled over her words as she spoke, trying to get her question out

"H-how can you...talk? A-are you one of them?"

"We're not anyone" Michael said, gash on his cheek flowing with a little less blood now "We just wanted to know who was out here"

"B-but did they follow you?" She asked, her voice still panicked and fast. The girl was definitely being pursued if this was how she acted.

"Who are you talking about?" Melody asked, the girl gave a blank look, expectant of something

"You don't...W-Who are you?" She stammered

"Travellers from northern Hoenn" Michael said, attempting to sound truthful

"You're not a very good liar..." The girl said, still keeping a ready stance, legs separated, ready to run

"What do you mean?" Melody asked, the girl jumped again at her question, too fearful to consider why Melody could speak.

"The whole of northern Hoenn, it's captured" She replied shakily "Mt Chimney, Fallarbor town through to Rustboro, It's all under their control"

"Who?" Melody asked again, the girl wasn't being very clear on anything, expecting them to know it all.

"Have you two been hiding in the forest for the last week? Who are you!" she asked. Michael decided a simple explanation would be enough for now, it would calm her down at least and let them figure out what the state of the world is now.

"We're not really from Hoenn" Michael admitted "Melody is, but I'm from...somewhere rather far away"

"How far?"

"Farther than any map can show"

The girl calmed slightly, but remained on guard as she examined them. It wasn't an odd sight for here, surely, a man and a Pokémon, but what she wondered was how Melody was able to speak and how neither knew of northern Hoenn's situation.

"How can she talk? And why haven't you heard anything...Just tell me everything" She said, kneeling over the small furry creature lying on the mat of brown cloth. Melody answered the first of her questions

"Telepathy, any psychic type can use it"

"Then why haven't I heard it before?" She asked "M-my Espeon is psychic and he never talks"

"We...don't feel much need to" Melody answered carefully "It can be quite difficult at first, and speaking words is different from sharing emotions, more...limited". This was the reason Pokémon never named themselves, their minds or scents were enough to identify them.

"T-Then why don't you know about northern Hoenn!" She said, anger flaring at the mention of the place

"We've only arrived in Hoenn" Michael said, plotting his tale more carefully this time "We never heard anything about...what's happened, anyway?"

The girl tensed, a mixture of emotions whirling through her as she recalled it all; fear, anger, hatred and sadness where all present in her as she spoke.

"Aqua and Magma finally teamed up...they somehow were convinced to merge, they got a hold of a lot of weapons and overran the north..." She explained. She continued to tell them the tragic tale she had seen with her own eyes. "They had guns, lots of them, it's impossible they could have gotten them on their own, they use Pokémon. Guns are outlawed here...only the police forces keep them and even then, they-they only have small ones. But they..." She tensed again, anger growing in her voice, pure hatred lathered over her words "They got big ones, they sent every one of their people out to the north and took over...they killed anyone who tried to stop them, even Pokémon! They didn't try to battle anyone, they just shot them! They had no chance! They overtook towns and whole areas, forcing people to hand over their Pokémon and their things, then they just put them all to work, making ammunition for their weapons. They had plans and everything for their weapons; no one could fight back because they were outnumbered..."

"Where did they get their weapons?" Michael asked

"I don't know! It's impossible! Weapons like that aren't made anymore, they were all destroyed! But now they force people to make them, whole crates of them, they're planning a takeover of Hoenn..." tears filled her eyes as she told the next parts of her tale, there was no easy way to talk of such events "...the one's who couldn't work...if they were too old, they shot them, if they were young...they raped the girls every night, killing the ones who resisted..."

"What happened to you?" Michael asked tentatively "where were you?"

"I was one of the prisoners, I had to take care of the captured Pokémon...they kept them in cages, feeding them so little that they became nothing but bone. Those bastards...they were sick! If some of them couldn't find a girl, they...fucking sick..." she held back tears, face red with anger and distress. Michael told her she could stop, but she ignored him. "I couldn't take it, I tried to escape. I used some of my old pokeballs I had kept from them, they were old models but I got all my Pokémon from the cages, I tried to take as many of the others as I could, but I couldn't hold many...I jumped the fence and tried to run, but they saw me. They chased me for days, they caught up a few times, but my Pokémon drove them off...but they killed most of them by the time I was far away...every time they found me, a few more died. I didn't ask them! They just did it! Throwing themselves in front of me, dying so I could keep running, those stupid things!" She buried her head in her hands; she could still feel the blood of those Pokémon on her conscience, being cut down for trying to protect her. "I haven't seen them for days...I think they've given up. But only two of the Pokémon

made it, and this little bunnery, she was nearly killed when a bullet hit her...she was one of the ones the men beat for fun...they kicked her around, throwing her into the air just to see her fall, shooting at her out of boredom..."

Melody and Michael sat in stunned silence, this wasn't them peaceful world Melody knew, and this wasn't the fun game Michael had played. Aqua and Magma, they always seemed so comic, so goofy, but now, they were nothing but sadistic thugs. It sounded like the World War II work camps, Auschwitz and Poland, a death camp.

"Things have changed...This is horrible" Melody whispered. Michael wondered how those people could get a hold of so much firepower when it was outlawed here. There wasn't an army he knew of, and even the police appeared to use Pokémon for duty. The only way would be...

"Others are here" Michael said, the horror of the realization dawning on him. Somehow, others had been pulled into this world, the less savoury types, who had the weapons needed to take over but just needed an army. Aqua and Magma had filled that vacancy, teaming up to become an unstoppable force that even the greatest in this world may be threatened by.

"What? Are they here?" The girl asked fearfully

"No, no I..." Michael quickly thought up something to try and explain himself "I know of some other crime syndicates...they have access to these weapons"

"Then why didn't they do this sooner?" She asked, dismissing the question instantly "oh, who cares...they can't be stopped now..."

They sat in silence for a while, no one willing to break the moment of silent misery for both parties. Michael finally spoke up again, trying to get the girl to trust them

"We didn't get your name" He said, Introducing both of them first "This is Melody, I'm Michael"

"Valerie" She said, giving a weak smile as she stroked the little bunnery's ears, the furred creature quietly mewing in response, she was still weakened from her injuries. "Are you a trainer too?"

"No, I'm not"

"So why is she with you?" She asked, glancing over at Melody. Gardevoir weren't a common sight, even for trainers, due to their reclusive nature. "Did you catch her?"

"No, she's..." Michael didn't know if he could openly admit their relationship to her, it could lead to mistrust, one thing they didn't need in this world.

"We're close friends" Melody finished for him "Michael helped me a long time ago, and I've travelled with him ever since"

"I've never heard of a Pokémon willingly following someone who didn't capture them" She said "...so where are you two headed?"

"We're actually a bit lost" Michael said, trying to coax some info out of her "Do you have a map on you, or could you tell us where we are?"

"They took my pokenav away when they captured me...but I think we're halfway to Mauville" She said. Michael knew roughly where Mauville was, but the size of Hoenn still eluded him. In the games it had seemed short enough, but in reality, he couldn't be sure. She had been running for days, and only covered half the distance; even then he didn't know how far that would be.

"How far is Mauville from your town?"

"Around two hundred kilometres maybe, I don't really know, I didn't ever go far from Fallarbor" She said. Michael sat back, they had been her for only an hour, and covering another hundred kilometres would be impossible without some sort of transport.

"What did you use on that bunnery?" Melody asked. The pot of green liquid sat at Valerie's side, scenting the air.

"My grandmother owns a herb shop in Lavaridge, she taught me to make these natural cures from berries and herbs" Valeria explained "She always said it was better than what the shops sold, and the ingredients are easy to find". The sadly looked down at the little Pokémon, unsure of herself. "I hope it works..."

"What else has happened?" Michael asked "Doesn't the rest of Hoenn know about this all?"

"They do but...no one is willing to face them right now. I've heard that towns are guarding themselves now, they're trying to prepare for them if they come" She said "I haven't heard a lot since I escaped. Only a few trainers and travellers told me what's happened. Ever Grande city and the Pokémon league shutdown, the Diagla and Palkia temples in Sootopolis were destroyed as well. They don't even know who did it, the temples just shook and destroyed themselves, they lost some of the monks under the rocks" The destruction was widespread, even though it was only northern Hoenn, everyone now seemed to be in a state of fear. No doubt suspicions would be high for everyone now. "Slateport stopped the ferries to Mossdeep and Pacifidlog too, some people are just stranded"

"What about the forest near the tree houses?" Melody asked worriedly. It was her home, and although she had never ventured outside the forest, everyone in her tribe knew of the tree houses that humans lived in to the north. They often stayed clear of the area, thinking preferring not to risk capture.

"Fortree?" Valerie asked "I don't know. I've never even been there" She paused for a second before asking "where are you going anyway?"

"We were just coming here to collect some things" Michael said, a half truth would do just fine

"Berries? Herbs?" She asked "I know this place pretty well now, what are you looking for"

"Do sitrus berry grow near here?" Melody asked eagerly.

"Yeah, I got some this morning just down the trail, I can show you if you want" She answered, picking up her bag, leaving the black pot by the fireplace.

"That would be good" Melody said. Valerie wrapped the brown cloth around the injured bunnery and gently picked her up. The bunnery stirred slightly, leaning into her as she held it in her arms. Michael and Melody stood and followed her lead. She led them into the forest, the same way they had come from. Michael quietly whispered a question to Melody.

"Why did you ask about sitrus berries?" He said, Melody smiled heartily in response

"They're my favourite" She said. Michael laughed slightly, they only had limited time here, but he supposed that she deserved this after being gone for so long. Valerie led them back out onto the road. They travelled in silence for most of the journey, Valerie softly whispering to the bunnery she held in her arms, reassuring her whenever she had a whimper. Melody took some time to reflect on the changes to her world, sharing the thoughts with Michael as they went. Violence and death seemed to have taken a stranglehold the land, People and Pokémon were treated like animals by those who fought unfairly. It wouldn't take long for the cancer to spread from the north, reaching over the whole of Hoenn, then what would be left for them? With Hoenn gone, the other regions would be next, then the rest of the world, if it was taken that far. She had no doubt that it would, but even then, the great cataclysm between the worlds may destroy them long before that could come to pass. Michael shared her sadness over these developments. It meant that even her they would be forced to run, not from prejudice or fear of the unknown, but from terror and death. Michael thought that they would try find another region, but even then their doubts remained. If this was happening in Hoenn, would the same be coming to pass in other regions? Stopping the newly armed Aqua and Magma was nigh impossible for them, even if they were to mass all the people together, heavy firepower would slaughter them all. The only way they could ever find peace, would be to stop the worlds colliding. Michael had a bleaker outlook, that even if they stopped the collision, it wouldn't change anything. The people would still be fighting for control, life would be a commodity, and no peace would exist for two lovers. Melody gently reassured him. If it ever came to that, they would flee. They could just run to the ends of the earth and be together until darkness claimed them; Michael smiled sadly at the thought. He'd like that, for however long it lasted.

They passed the old log Michael had dragged onto the path to mark the portal location. The rustling of wind could be heard, carrying the buzzing drone of the portal with it. Looking through the trees, it was barely visible, a faint blue glow flaring occasionally. Michael hoped Valerie wouldn't notice him looking towards it, the last thing they needed was more people knowing about this, seeing it as an escape of the things to come. Thankfully, she was too busy quietly singing to the Pokémon in her arms to glance towards it. They continued on for another half an hour, Michael beginning to wonder just down far 'just down the trail' was. The forest stretched for miles in each direction, ridges and mountains visible behind them. One ridge stood out, the largest of them all, top black with soot ash, visible even from this distance. Mount Chimney, he guessed, the largest mountain in Hoenn, spewing out clouds of rising smoke. He wondered if it had erupted, and how sure the residents were sure of it. Valerie abruptly turned off the trail again, despite there being no indication of where it

led. Still, they followed her and within a minute or so, came to a large patch of bushes and exotic trees. Berries of many colours and kinds shone through the leaves, painting the area in a rainbow of colourful drops. Melody moved towards one small shrub, leaves blue, pump yellow gourd like berries hanging from its branches. Not many berries grew on the shrub, only three from what he could see, a tiny amount of fruit to bear compared to the plants on earth.

Melody twisted the berry free and smiled as she took a large bite, the nostalgic sugary tang of the berry dancing on her tongue, sharp stabs of the sour juice at the back of her mouth. Some of the juice ran down her chin, she wiped it away and kept eating. He twisted another from the branch and held it out to Michael

"Try one" she said happily. Michael took the large fruit, the leathery yellow skin dotted with bursts of orange. He gingerly took a bite, the size of it make it hard to wrap his teeth around. His eyes clenched as the sour taste burned his mouth, like biting into a very sweet lemon. Most of the flesh was just juice, burning as it passed down his throat. He coughed loudly, the tang it clinging to his mouth, leaving a rather pleasing aftertaste. He wondered if it was worth it.

"How can you...eat that?" He asked, still hacking "That's the sourest thing I've ever tasted"

"You get used to it, it's just tastes so lively" she said, still eating her way through the berry. Michael risked another bite, regretting it as he just made the coughing worse. Valerie laughed loudly at this, handing him another berry, this one purple, bunched like a raspberry but much larger.

"Here, maybe you'll like these one's better" She said, Michael thanked her and took a small bite, not willing to risk another assault on his taste buds. His one was much better, a soft velvety taste, sweet and a bit dry.

"That's actually pretty-"He stopped as a shout came from the woods, Valerie spun around, growing quiet and straining to hear. The voices grew louder, seeming to shout directions. She turned and ran without a word; Michael hesitated, and then ran after her, Melody following close behind. They ran through the grove, tripping over rocks and dead wood, until they were far enough away to observe it without being seen. Valerie was shaking as she leaned against a tree, pure panic painted on her face, eyes wide. The shouts were near enough to be heard clearly now, but they had stopped. They all looked through the trees, catching the forms of two large men, each wearing the same uniform, black shirt with long white pants. Only their bandanas distinguished them, one red and one blue. In their arms they caught the glint of metal, and knew the two were armed. Valeria whimpered, Melody trying to calm her down as Michael listened into the two men's' conversation.

"-for days! Some bitch got away, why the hell does he make us go chasing her this goddamn far" The blue bandana one said

"If we let her escape, the others might try escape too. It's not whether she's escaped, it's whether she gets away with it" The red one responded

"Then we just say we fucking killed her, okay! The others won't try-"blue was cut off,

"He'll need proof! If we killed her, he'd expect us to bring something back to prove it, put the fear into the hostages" red said, eyes scanning the area. Michael ducked his head back quickly as he glanced over their hiding spot. His gaze lingered a second too long for comfort.

"Aren't you tired too? Bloody hell, we've slept in mud for the last week"

"And we'll be sleeping five feet under the mud if we don't find her" Red quipped back. He motioned straight towards their hiding spot, manic gleam of a hunter in his eye "Keep moving"

As they jogged towards the dense trees, Valerie panicked, her breathing coming in quick gasps, heading looking from side to side, seeking escape. Michael couldn't move, his feet planted to the ground, despite Melody's urgings, he knew running would alert the two. Valerie shrieked and broke free of her trembling, before Michael knew it, his legs were sprinting forward, carrying him as fast as they could. He didn't even think as he ran, let alone acknowledge the shouts from behind or the clatter of gunfire through the dark forest. Melody glided beside him, psychic powers being used to lift her from the ground, propelling her through the air. The darkness was their friend now, concealing them in a blanket of uncertainty for their pursuers as they trailed them. Michael managed to catch Valerie, grabbing her shoulder and veering left, trying to throw the two behind them off course. Michael breathed heavily as the leaped over rocks and roots snaking over the ground. Valerie had tears coming from her eyes as he ran, breath interspaced between cries and sobs. Without warning, they broke free of the forest, on the trail again. Michael's thoughts were frantic as they stopped, this area was far too open, and they would be gunned down in seconds.

"Back to the portal" He called to Melody as he ran to the opposite side of the forest, dragging Valerie along with him, the bunnery whining as she held onto it tight, she was too frightened to understand what Michael meant but followed anyway. They ran close to the trail, trying not to lose

sight of it. Their pursuers were further behind them now, weaving slower through the forest, unsure of which direction to take. They ran until each one of them wheezed for breath, their lungs feeling as if they were on fire. They kept running, escaping being the only thing on their minds even as their lungs begged for sweet release, watching the world go by in a haze. Finally, they slowed, nearly falling over due to exhaustion. Melody staggered, her levitation taking a toll on her mentally and physically. Michael looked back out onto the trail, searching for their sign to freedom. The trail was clear as far as he could see, with nothing to mark their destination. He looked all around, desperately searching for it. His heart sank when he sighted it, far behind them. He cursed; they had been so distracted that they hadn't seen it. He turned and gently shook Valerie's shoulder

"We have to go back, just a bit" He said, gasping for air

"No, no running" She sobbed "They're going to kill us"

"No they're not" Michael gently urged "come on, just a little further", tenderly pulling her along with him, she whimpered as he did so, as they all doubled back on their path. Melody had sunk back to the ground, tiredly limping along with the rest of them. They reached the log quickly, turning inwards towards the forest. Shouts came from in the left of them, Valerie screamed slightly, breaking into a lurching run, forcing Michael to follow her. Melody nearly collapsed as they moved with her, Michael moving back to support her, the drone of the portal being the only sound now that could calm him. A thud and flying of bark from behind them, made the need to move even more urgent. Finally, they broke into the area of the portal, blue tinged light illuminating the forestry around them. Valerie had crumpled to the grassy floor, sobbing uncontrollably in front of the spacial distortion. But before they could move any further, the grass in front of them shot up, dirt flying through the air. The two armed men stood behind them, guns level with Michael and Melody. The red one spoke first

"A lot of trouble, you caused us both" He said, panting as he did so. "We only...want the girl...you two won't be...so fortunate". They both braced as he levelled his sights, finger twitching on the trigger. Michael closed his eyes in defeat, the end for both of them, but at least they were still together. A shout rang out, making Michael open his eyes slightly. Red was clutching his head, temple bleeding from a deep gash. Valerie stood fear still in her eyes, but burning hatred also. She hurled another rock, hitting blue as he brought up his gun. Melody took the chance, throwing the two backwards with a psychic thrust, he was weakened but it was enough to make the two drop their weapons. Michael tried to drag Valerie towards the portal with him, but she wouldn't move. She instead ran at red, landing in him and smashing his face with her bared fists. He screamed in anger as she brought each fist down on the man's head. Blue was up by this time, running towards Valerie. Melody sent another psychic push his way, but caught Valerie in the process. Michael hauled Melody up with him, moving towards the portal

"We have to go!" He yelled "Try pull her here!"

"I can't!" Melody shrieked as she tried with every bit of might left in her to pull the poor girl away from the two. Michael kept them moving towards the portal, now only a few feet away. Melody wouldn't go any further, resisting his grip as the she pushed away the two again.

"We have to go Melody!" Michael yelled again "Push them away and-"Melody succeeded in pushing the two men away from Valerie, falling over as her exertion caught up with her. Michael lost his grip as she staggered down, falling backwards. Everything slowed for him as he fell. He saw the pained look on Melody's face, turning to horror as she slowly turned her head to see him. Valerie running towards them, shouting incoherently. The two men were down, slowing turning their bruised heads to see him, eyes dull and unfocused. Michael screamed as he fell, feeling that terrible pull at his back, the last thing he saw was Melody's screaming back to him. Then, white.

He heard shouts, movement, quick frenzied motions to around him. His vision was blurred, his mind foggy as an old face leaned over him. He felt his back against cold, sodden earth. The haze of sound around him sharpened slowly and he heard one old, wise voice speak to him through the darkness.

"Michael..." He said quietly

Stars, that's what those dots of light in the sky were, stars. He sat up, vision clearing, seeing dawns light break on the horizon. He looked around slowing, wondering if this was all a dream. He saw Will staring concernedly at him, his Pokémon assistants accompanying him.

"Michael, are you okay?"

The portal was gone, no droning echo or light remained in the field. His mouth opened, sound never coming past his lips, only shallow gasps as his head shook lightly. He lifted his head high, voice coming back slowing as the morning light spilled over his body, burning him with putrid awareness.

He screamed.


	14. Chapter 14

He screamed.

He screamed and he screamed into the coming morn. A great wailing through the fields and trees, filled with grief and sorrow one can only feel a few times in life before breaking. He sat there, head craned to the sky, cursing the very existence of this world and any being behind it all. The tears streaming down his face felt like molten lead, burning their way across his face and scarring him forever. Will could not stop him, and the Pokémon who surround him simply let be, sensing what he felt and how nothing could compare to the misery. The sun burned on his skin, the warming light becoming a curse which mocked him with realisation. The realisation that he was alone on this cold and accursed dawn. By the time his screams came to an end his voice was horse and his wails nothing but a pathetic whine, head now fallen to the ground. Will gently tried to rouse him, taking a hold of his shoulder. 

"Michael, are you okay?" he repeated yet again

"Five hours..." Michael muttered "What happened to five hours...what happened!" His voice grew enraged, allowing fury to take the place of the sorrow he had felt.

"The portal became unstable...your-your exit caused-"Will was stopped as Michael faced him, the murderous glare in his eyes enough to put even the group of leaders on guards.

"Why didn't you know that?" He screamed, anger boiling through his head and past his lips "Why didn't you warn us, why didn't you know!". Will's response was frantic

"I never-I never thought that an exit could-"

"Why! You were supposed to protect us! You told us we would be fine, you never told us of anything!" Michael pounded his fists on the cold ground, as if his strength could force open the gate between him and Melody.

"I didn't know, I really didn't-"

"You lost her! You killed her! She's gone, Will...she's gone..." His shouts lowered back to the pathetic whimpers of a lost man. With his anger now expelled, he had nothing. He was empty, and nothing but the immovable feeling of guilt remained.

"Michael..." Will said, guilt weighting heavy on his heart to see the man like this "There's nothing I can do, I'm sorry but we should go..." He tried to help Michael up, but he wouldn't budge. It was only after much coaxing from Will that he surrendered, letting himself be escorted back to the car and letting himself slump motionless into the front seat. He sat there, eyes unfocused in terrible contemplation. Time seemed to speed around him, as if he had left his world and now his conscienceless floated lost in limbo. He made no note of Will as he repackaged all the equipment from the field or as he placed it in the car trunk. Even the starting of the engine and swaying motion of the car pulling from the road hardly registered. Unknowingly, his hand reached to his face and ran over the spot here Melody had touched. He tried feebly to feel any lingering essence there, but found nothing but dry stubble. Even her mind was absent; the familiar feeling of having her mind's presence to reassure him now was occupied by a great void. The feeling of having her mind separated from his was more than he could bear, feeling truly alone.

His reflection was only broken by a single vehicle, speeding towards them from the end of the road. For as long as they had driven, the roads had remained empty, but now this large pickup truck charged forward from the corner, moving past in the blink of an eye. As the car sped past, loud hoots and yells could be heard from the back, three men sitting in the flat back. Will muttered something incoherently about drunks and drivers, keeping his eyes on the road ahead. Will did not notice as the pickup truck slowed and turned around, accelerating towards them again. The car matched their speed, moving dangerously close behind them. Michael and Will looked back at the truck, one man driving, one sitting in the passenger seat and three on the back, all standing and hollering at them. Will cursed and accelerated, feeling the old engine of his car grunt with effort. The truck behind them matched their movement and was back on them in seconds. A jolt shook the car, throwing them forward against their seatbelts.

"Dammit!" Will said as another jolt shook the car. Michael looked back; the truck was ramming them while the men standing on the back continued their jeers. Will quickly moved left, slowing and turning sharply as the road bent, pushing them both into their seats. The men in the truck were not as lucky, brakes screeching as they ploughed from the road and into the small roadside shrubs. Two of the men tumbled from the back, falling over the edge as they stumbled, harshly hitting the ground. Will sped away, trying to get away from the track as fast as possible. He laughed as he looked into the rear view mirror, seeing the men struggling to get back onto the truck, now stuck in the roadside shrubs. His laughter was shattered by a shot, however, as glass flew from the rear windshield. The men were armed and one had managed to take a shot at the car. Will floored the car, rustic engine now straining and whining with the effort of carrying them away in an iron chariot.

"What did they want?" Will muttered "Bloody youth get their hands on a gun and think they have all the power in the world..."

"It's not much of a world anymore" Michael answered, his answer being half logic and half brooding.

"Not if those types are the ones in the streets" Will said "People left and now they think they own the place"

"They might as well" Michael knew that the shift in power occurred he as well as in the Pokémon world. Chaos and disorder was a great ally to wickedness, and soon they would face that power which conspired against anyone who stood in its greedy and deceitful path.

The only Pokémon who were now travelling with them were those who had helped in transport of their leaders to the portal site, running alongside the car or flying directly over it. The leaders had teleported themselves back to the farmhouse, knowing its location well enough to do so now. They followed closely as the car rumbled along the road, dust flying up as the tarmac ended and the gravel roads began. Up the long road they drove towards the farm, a cloud of dust billowing behind them to signal their approach. When they arrive at the front of the house, Tom was there to irately greet them.

"Are you lot just going to keep running off?" He questioned loudly "You leave and expect me to defend this place, while you're off searching for some magical cure?"

"It was urgent Tom, a critical state portal won't wait" Will explained, Tom glared at him.

"Then why wasn't I told?" He jabbed "I wake up to an empty house, no car, no explanation and only these bloody creatures for company!"

"You were asleep! And it looks like it did you some good" Will retorted

"No transport and no idea of where I am! You lot die out there and I get the short end of the stick here!" He yelled "You're all talk of finding a solution, opening magical portals and gate, with nothing to prove of it!"

"We did open a portal-"

"And what happened then! Looks to me like nothing changed, and the whole thing was useless!" He turned to Michael "Tell me about these damn things! You're back and the portal's gone, nothing has damn well changed!"

"Tom, please, Melody-"Will tried to calm Tom as he continued his verbal assault

"Nothing has changed and all you do is gallivant around, hoping to find a way into those damn creatures world. The point was to get them back!" He yelled "They go back and they stay back!"

"Tom..."

"What? The portal's gone, nothing is done and none of these things got back home!"

"Melody did..." Michael said weakly, straining to even speak with his current strength

"She went back? Good, that was the point of this, wasn't it?" Tom snapped

"No! She-"Michael's voice croaked as it rose, guiltiness dragging behind it

"Did she run off? Is that what happened?" Tom said, getting no response from Michael, only hearing the raw sound as his teeth gnashed in sorrow. "If she ran off, then why do you care? Running from the one she said she loved, she only wanted-"

The crack of bone striking bone filled the driveway. Blinding pain clouded Tom's vision as he fell back, tasting copper on the back of his throat. Michael screamed in rage as he struck Tom, his knuckles connecting solidly with the former priests jaw, with all the fury of a shattered man behind it. For all his combat training and experience, Tom could not dodge sudden jab, falling to the ground, head reeling in pain as he struck coarse gravel. His recovery was quick, leaning onto his side and pulling himself up. Blood ran from his mouth as he stood, the fall making him bite his tongue, tearing a gash in the soft tissue which now stung like molten needless had been driven into it. He winced as his flexed his jaw, lip split and now burning in pain. Michael's eyes pierced him with a look of anger and sadness.

"I lost her!" He shouted "I made the portal close and left her stuck there! She tried to stop me; I didn't want to leave without her!"

"It wasn't your fault Michael-"Will tried to calm him

"Then who's is it?" He said "I went through the portal and came out; I was the one who was safe. She never had a chance because I stole it!"

"You know that's wrong" Will said "None of us knew it would happen, it was unavoidable"

"It was avoidable, I could have stayed and helped her, we could have gone back together, but dammit, we didn't!" He turned back to Tom, the Irishman now regretting his word as he saw the grief they had brought.

"She's lost now, I killed her..."

"You didn't killed her Michael" Will interjected, attempting to quell the man self hatred.

"I might as well have..." Michael continued "what's the chance I'll find her again? You tell me!"

"Well...there's a chance...another portal could open" Will stammered

"To where? She could be anywhere..."

Will sighed; he knew the chances better than any of them. Even if another portal opened, the chances of it leading to the same location or even near it was slim to none. Tom picked himself up, rubbing the reddened spot on his jaw, mouth still on fire. He couldn't hold it against Michael that he was acting like this; anger had gotten the best of both of them. But still, their safety was his main concern. He didn't have any plans on having his comrades' die from a slip-up on their part. Michael stood defeated now; Will tried to nudge away from the uncomfortable situation, turning to Tom.

"Has anything happened while we were away?" He asked, wondering if Tom was worked up from some unknown development.

"Not much...A few of those creatures left, new one's came in their place soon after" He said. Tom remembered sighting a group of the Pokémon, mostly the outer scouts, running away from the farm towards the forest. Only an hour later, new one's arrived. It was amazing how they could organize ranks like that, but he supposed that desperate times had forced it upon them.

Will hadn't seen any of them on the drive up, but that was probably what they wanted, stealth. As he looked out upon the fields, he spotted one of them positioned on a rusted old tractor. Red feathered and hawk like, it sat, a smaller creature held in its arms. Tom noticed Will quizzically staring.

"He's a lonely one, that one" Tom said "Wanders off from the rest and won't let anyone near him, doubly so now that he's got that chick with him"

"I take it that chick's his child?" Will said

"Something like that, but he holds onto it pretty tightly, mighty protective father it seems". Tom motioned towards the house. "Come on, we'd all be better out of the cold air"

All three of them moved back into the warmth of the house, crisp morning air turning into a comfortable blanket. They each took their respective positions, the positions they had become so accustomed to. Tom was once again watching over the area from the rooftop, hand always on his rifle's trigger and eye's set on the scope. It was a wonder the man could stay like that for hours at a time, never letting boredom or fatigue take him. He hadn't fired a significant shot in days, yet he always remained in fear that soon he would. Will was downstairs, tiredly pouring over data gained from the recent incident. There was little point to it, but they were no closer to solving anything right now, and for Michael's sake, he could at least look for something. He didn't know what had happened in that world, and he was hesitant to ask, but anything at this time could be of help. Michael had been shifting through his draws when Will fetched him, staring longingly at a picture of Melody. Michael knew that the beauty of this drawing was now the closest thing he had to her, that she had left this world and had just been absorbed back into the page. He had reluctantly replaced the drawing and followed Will back to the downstairs living room. Will had set out two small cans of beans for them, heated using the old wooden stove in the kitchen. They had all wearied of such food, taste processed out of it. Melody had eaten tinned fruit; even she grew sick of it, syrup being like a sickeningly sweet gruel. She had opted for fresh fruit when possibly, trying to save it for when she simply couldn't stand the tinned food anymore. Michael realised that this was why she had been so hungry for berries in her world, being a sad smile to his lips. Will took a small bite before beginning his questioning; grimacing at the undercooked taste the ill kindled stove had cursed it with.

"Michael, what happened there?" He asked, figuring that being straightforward would cause the least harm "Can you tell me from the beginning?"

"We...landed in a small forest clearing, it was only a short walk from the road" Michael began

"Was it a sealed road?"

"No, no it was dirt" Michael said "It went for miles in each direction..." Will pondered about how they obliviously didn't use many cars in that world if sealed road weren't common in such areas.

"We walked for a while, I think it was twenty minutes before we stopped" Michael continued "We found someone in the woods, we saw smoke and went to see who was there. We found a young girl, she was nursing a Pokémon...I can't remember what it was called. She told us that people from our world have...taken over most of the northern area of Hoenn-"

"Other people!" Will exclaimed "Other's have gotten in?"

"They brought weapons; they rallied two criminal groups to help them take over"

"Didn't they try and fight back?"

"They don't have weapons, guns were outlawed, only small ones were given to police" Michael hurriedly explained, feeling the pressure on his heart grow as he explained the dangers that could befall Melody and that girl Valerie. He sighed deeply

"They enslaved her town; she escaped and had been hiding in the forest for a while. She rescued a few of the Pokémon from the ones who took over...most of them were killed"

"Oh, this is bad, very very bad" Will muttered to himself "What happened next?"

"Melody...she asked if there were any berries around there, the girl took us to a small grove not too far away from where we found her" Michael struggled to remember details of the next part. "Two men looking for her came across us, they had guns and were trying to get her back, we ran. We tried to outrun them; I told Melody we could bring her back to the portal...they found us when we got there"

"Did you bring back any berries?" Will asked quickly

"Is that all you wanted?" Michael growled "Some...goddamn berries!"

"No no, sorry...Please, what happened next?" Will said, the outburst wasn't intentional, he had let his curiosity get the better of him

"The two cornered us, but the girl, she distracted them with a rock long enough for Melody to push to away. She kept pushing them away, but Valerie...the girl, she was dragged along too" Michael said, now recalling the moment of terror that had compassed him as he made his deadly mistake "She didn't want to go until she was safe, but I tried to drag her back...I lost grip..." Michael stopped

"You fell" Will said "and that's when you came back through, isn't it?" 

"Yes..."

Will leaned back, the rest of his beans still untouched on the table. Nothing of value had been gained, and hearing of the presence of others in that world wasn't comforting either. He tried to probe further, though he thought little would come of it.

"What exactly happened to their world?" he asked "Anything important or wide scale happen?"

"Valerie just told us that people had taken over her town, enslaving the population" Michael said "Transport from some of the cities had been shut down, buildings were destroyed by the portals opening and aqua and magma terrorising the area"

"Who are aqua and magma?" Will asked

"They're two criminal syndicates; they're always fighting for control of the land..." Michael explained "But, they teamed up once these people offered them weapons"

"What did they destroy?"

"I don't know...buildings, caves, anything that could help people get away from them" Michael said.

This was too much, first their world had been reduced to barbarism thanks to the cosmic events, and now people had set their sights on the other world for conquest. Will glanced at his watch, the old metal glimmering in the sunlight that filled the living room. It was noon now and nothing had been learned from the trip. Melody had been lost and Michael had been left broken, but nothing had been gained, there was no fairness in any of this.

Will and Michael heard a sudden shout from the rooftop, beckoning them. They quickly moved up the stairs and into the main bedroom. Will leaned out the window, shouting or Tom, unwilling to climb up himself. Tom leaned over the edge to talk to them

"We've got visitors" He said. Michael and Will looked out the window, what they saw doing nothing to calm them after their retelling of failure. A pick-up truck, the same pick-up truck that had tried to drive them off the road, shot at them and been driven into a tree, now lumbered up the long driveway.

"Take a gun from down there and keep on guard, they might be-"

"Shoot them" Will said hurriedly

"What?"

"Shoot them!" He yelled "Just shoot them already, Tom!"

Tom leaned back up onto the roof and took aim. He knew by the look on Will's face and the seriously of his voice, that this was something he would have to trust him with. As he took aim at the man in the driver's side of the cabin, a bullet launched a small roof tile next to him into the air. Tom kept his head, not even flinching as he adjusted his aim to the man now standing on the flat bed of the truck holding a rifle. He fired, pulling the bolt back and reloading a round with the speed only a trained marksman could possess. The young man went down, but lay in pain on the metal back of the truck, the movement having caused Tom's fatal shot to miss and hit his upper arm. The truck sharply served to the side, throwing itself parallel to the house, the men exiting and taking cover behind it. Tom quickly repositioned himself behind the brick chimney, it wasn't much cover, but it would do for now.

Michael had grabbed the large rifle Tom had fought with during their first meeting. He had never been trained in firing one, but it was simple enough to load and fire. Crawling towards the window, he pressed himself against the wall below, preparing himself to attack. He tried to calm his breathing and counted up to three. On three, he awkwardly heaved the gun and himself up to the window and pulled the trigger, only aiming roughly at where the car was. The recoil hit him hard and he braced himself, watching the bullets impact and spark on the trucks frame. He cursed to himself, he didn't like this, and he didn't need this now. He gripped the rifle tightly, gritting his teeth as the sounds of gunfire bellowed above and below him. He had promised to Melody that he would prove himself, but these people...these murders now stood in his way, for nothing but entertainment. He felt the anger return, boiling through his veins as he sat there. The whole world, just needed to shut up for a while and let him think, but the noise continued.

"Dammit..." He growled "Dammit, dammit! Just go to hell!"

He shot back up, heaving the gun p with him again, not caring for cover any more. He saw one of the men reaching around the side of the car, lying prone to the ground with a gun in his hand.

"Go to hell!" He screamed, whipping the rifle around to where the man lay, jamming the trigger down and feeling every shot pounding back into his shoulder. The ground around the man spewed dust and he saw the man roll back with the force of his shots, sleeveless top shredding along with flesh and bone. The magazine of the gun had been emptied in only three seconds, Michael not realising until the man laid still, crimson fluid seeping into the dirt from his now torn body. He ducked back down, fumbling as he tried to find more ammunition. Even as he did so he could hear the sound of boots on gravel, silently looking through the window to see the men running from the car and towards the house. It was at this moment, a group of the Pokémon scouts burst from the field, catching the men off guard. A Mightyeena took down one of the men, tearing at his body furiously as the man tried to shield himself. The man leading the charge looked back quickly, turning towards the house again and continuing his advancement. A red blur from his side signalled the arrival of the lone Blaziken, launching a powerful kick aimed for his chest. But this one was quicker than the other, deftly dodging the strike even as it managed to knock the gun from his hands. He disregarded his and launched a quick blow at the Blaziken's jaw, sending the feathered creature back as he scooped his gun back up and kept running towards the house. Michael ducked as he sprayed a short burst of fire on the window as the roof, knowing Tom was still raining down death from above. This man was different; he knew what he was doing. Michael finally managed to reload the rifle he was holding and made for the door. He flew down the stairs and found Will firing out the kitchen window, shotgun held clumsily as he struggled against the recoil. He wasn't built for these situations.

"One of them is nearly here!" He said, ducking from view of the window

Michael ran to the living room and flattened himself against the wall near the front window. He cautiously peeked out to see the man now engaged in full combat with the Blaziken, trading kicks and punches. The man's figure was fully visible now, tan skinned with a clean shaven head and arms built like boulders. His bulky frame made him no less agile as he ducked, trying to sweep his legs under the Blaziken and catch the creature off guard. The Blaziken jumped as he did so, swiftly sending a leg into the man's face and sending him crashing into front door. The Blaziken stopped suddenly, turning its head back to where the other men were fighting off the various Pokémon that assaulted them. Michael was confused why it had stopped when the man was so clearly disabled, then as the Blaziken loudly called out in warning, he saw it. The small orange chick, running from the field and towards one of the men by the car, angrily twittering as it charged. The young Pokémon pecked at the man's leg, tearing the fabric of his pant leg, drawing blood from the pricks it made. The man cried out in pain and in anger, spotting the small chick. With an angry shout, he drove his leg into the small creature's body, launching it into the air. The Blaziken could only watch as his young fell from the air, hitting the ground with a dull thud. The man did not stop as he fired upon the small being, destroying any chance of its survival. Michael heard a shifting on the porch, and before the Blaziken could react, the large tanned man drove a foot into the back of its head. The Blaziken fell, but as it did so, flames ignited around its wrist. The flames spewed forth with the force of a ruptured gas hose, intense in heat and near blinding in light. The Blaziken did not stay down for long, leaping to its feet not a second after it hit the ground. The angered and wailing cry it gave, Michael could only describe it as the haunting call of a Valkyrie, choosing the warriors who would be gruesomely slain. A large spout of flame erupted from its jaw, towards the one who had murdered its young, the once being it had treasured from its own world and the last of his family. The stream of fire detonated as it struck true, immolating the man in an instant. His dying screams were a catalyst to the creature's anger as it made for the car with near impossible speed, grabbing the still burning man by his neck with a sharp talon. It screamed into the man face, ignoring the wails of pain coming from him as it threatened him wordlessly over the death of its young. It brought down a fist, speed incomprehensible, and struck the man's head. The force of the blow was enough to simultaneously break the man's skull and snap his neck in a display that made both Michael and Will wretch. Will was lucky enough to vomit into the sink, distracting him from the sight of a blood covered avian standing amongst tongues of flame. The glare from the creature's eyes and the light that the inferno cast upon its body culminated into one hellish display, there a demon now standing where the creature had stood moments before.

But the demon stood shock upright as blood burst from its body; eye's losing the furiosity they had held. The Blaziken fell, eyes fading as it surrendered to death, leaving only a content look upon its face as it knew the blood price had been paid. The man who now stood on the porch held his gun level; having fired the killing shots, now ran towards the truck. Firing a few shots back onto the roof to distract Tom, he kicked away the mightyeena from the remaining man and dragged him back into the car. He quickly started the motor, not caring for the subsequent shots Tom fired upon him, all misaimed due to the smoke and fire obscuring his vision. The car lurched forward and burst through the flames, sharply turning and speeding back down the gravel road. Michael saw a projectile launch its self from the roof as the car did so, landing a nearly metre away from it and exploding into thick, oily flames. The car was long gone by the time Michael had wrenched the door open and ran out into the open. He stopped to examine the carnage around him. Blood splattered across the ground mingled with dirt and ash, the still burning body of the young Torchic's attacker and the shredded body of his own shots laid still, stench of death permeating the air. His eyes rested on the man he had shot early on in the fight. Immediately his stomach churned and he wretched, falling to his knees. The thick stench and thought of what he had brought caused him to quickly throw up onto the rough ground, bile bitter in his throat. He tried to steady himself as he moved towards the body, but failed halfway as he got a good look it. Torn flesh and muscle bleeding red, bone fragments showing through the gaping wounds. The young man looked no older than sixteen, with dirty blonde hair ragged around his smooth face. He had seen movies and read of gun fights and battles, but when one saw the real power of what authors wrote about, there was simply no way to describe the devastation it could cause. He moved back towards the Blaziken, whose rage had been so quickly silenced. The red feathered Pokémon laid motionless now, eye's dead, blood staining the white feathers of its chest a dark red. The young Torchic lay only a small distance away. He moved towards the Torchic's small and ragged body, gently taking it in his arms and placing it in the arms of its father. Will's exhausted voice came from behind him.

"He only did what any father would do in the situation" Will said "The punishment that man suffered...to him it would be justified". Will spoke as if the Pokémon was no different from a human, which Michael knew was almost the truth.

"What about the other?" Michael asked quietly. The young man he had killed, did he deserve to die when he was so young. Even Michael was young by society's standards, and he had been forced into this and had abandoned his life for Melody.

"Whether he deserved it or not, I can't tell you" Will said, gun hanging limply in his arms like a heavy burden he carried. "But it's done now, the boy won't ever have to see the horrors of war he could have now"

"But...he could've been like me" Michael said. In all his years of self medicated depression, he had thought that no one had shared his feelings and even less his predicament, but seeing this boy lying dead before him made him question all those feelings. It was the first time in many years that he had ever thought another human had been like him.

"It's done Michael, we can never know. Don't ask questions you know you can't get an answer to, you'll only hurt yourself" Will said. Toms voice called out from behind as he approached, holding his rifle tightly ad if the danger hadn't yet passed

"We're leaving" He said promptly, turning back towards the house and starting for the door

"What? What do you mean 'we're leaving'?" Will yelled

"They attacked us, they know where we are, we have to leave before they come back" Tom said

"What about the Pokémon here, they're helping us and we can't just leave them!

"Makes no difference Will, We are leaving" Tom announced it with nothing but authority in his voice

"Think for a moment, man!" Will said "We agreed to help them if they helped us, we can't just leave them with no hopes of getting home, I mean, one of them died for us!"

"Then they can come with us, alright!" Tom yelled "If they don't follow use, then that's their prerogative, but we are leaving"

"Tom, listen-"

"Give up Will" Michael said slowly "He's made up his mind"

"Michael? You can't be with him on this, can you?" Will said, shocked that Michael would think of leaving so soon after his incident. "You may have lost Melody, but...but we can still get her back! Why are you siding with him?"

"Will...she's gone" Michael said miserably

"She's not gone, she still in her world" Will pleaded "Don't give up on this yet Michael, we're close..."

"You know our chances...I...I need to accept them" Michael said, beginning his slow walk away from the still blazing scene of bloodshed. "I'm sorry that...I can't fulfil my promises"

Will stuttered, failing to string his words together as the man who had showed so much zeal and determination in helping Melody and protecting her, simply gave up. As Michael slowly retreated, he too sighed in defeat. He walked back to the house, knowing he couldn't win this argument.

Will discussed with the tribal leaders of what would happen, they were not pleased, but in the end relented. Their deal would still be upheld and there was no question that they owed these creatures a great debt for their help. The leaders and Will talked amongst themselves for a long time that day, being well into the evening before a final solution was reached. Throughout the day they had discussed plans and intentions, paths and possibilities, but in the end the ultimatum was given.

"This is hardly an ideal agreement, we have lost two because of this endeavour" The main leader spoke. "Our main deal has not yet been fulfilled and now we must make another in order for it to be so. Let us hope this web of trust does not grow to the point of breaking"

"We agree to your leaving, but two of us shall accompany you, along with two of our group's scouts" The younger one spoke up. "The one of us who first encountered your friend and I shall be the ones who take on this burden"

"And the ones who are to travel along side us shall be the Absol, for her speed, and one of the Lucario clan among us, favoured for their fighting abilities" The older one continued "They shall provide ample protection to us, but their lives are valued among yours for now, as your debt still weights on our minds"

Will had no choice to agree. With two of these fantastically minded creatures, the work may take longer, but it was better than nothing. Tom had repackaged all this weaponry and sat waiting in the car, radio blaring nothing but emergency broadcasts from across the country, interspaced with the occasional song to try and calm the maddened masses. He was impatient to leave, and something had been troubling him visibly since the attack. He had been so absorbed in his thoughts that he had absentmindedly started scratching the Absol who had come to sit by the car, waiting for their departure. The thoughts had whisked away his paranoia of the Pokémon who roamed around them. Even after he broke from his thoughts and looked back at the contented Absol now sitting by the open drivers door, he continued, it was at least something to calm him for the time being. He was not exactly thrilled that the Pokémon had chosen to follow them, but the added security would allow them more freedom, which was always good in a world such as this. Will and Michael finally emerged from the house, carrying with them the last of their meagre belongings to load into the trunk. Michael carried only a small case of his art supplies, a dull leather pouch that he had stuffed all his drawings into, the ones of Melody buried deepest within the pouch. Will carried only his laptop. Tom didn't know what he did with that thing, but for now it had helped However, the man could still learn to handle a gun. Following behind them were the final Pokémon who were to accompany them on this new journey to God knows where. Tom recognised the old and young psychic ones who were so well know to Will, but the other one, the blue jackal like figure he did not. The creature walked with prideful strides, but the eyes showed something more. Fear, perhaps, but he couldn't hold it against the creature as being around these creatures was just as fearful for him. He examined the figure more closely. The thick upper legs of the creature looked as if they would pack a powerful kick, but within the creature's face, he could distinguish small tics of emotions hidden below. It was obvious when he looked for it, but to the others who did not, the creature seemed impassive. Will was loaded into the back seat long with the jackal like being and the older of the two leaders. The younger one took the more reckless option of riding atop the Absol who would follow the car from behind, obviously flaunting its youth for now. Michael rode passenger, not wanting to be close to anyone right now.

The car shuddered to life and slowly moved off, the Lucario looked through the window, expression almost wistful as they continued further away from the house and own the old road. The uneven road surface softly bumped the car up and down along the road, Michael feeling the small jolts as he rested his head on the cool glass of the window. The view of the stars here was grand, being so far away from anything in a landscape of inky black, the stars shone in the hundreds. His mind was cast back to when he and Melody had shared that view from the gaps of the forest's thick canopy, bringing a longing to hold her again, just to hold her for as long as he could and nothing else. The great stars of the heavens dimmed as he began to succumb to his weariness, seeming to fall from the sky as his eyes closed and he silently drifted into a lonely black void of sleep.

Michael didn't often dream, and if he did they were too fleeting to remember. Not once had he ever remembered his dreams and when he tried, he only saw great tracts of grey with the occasional break of colour, but never a full scene. He never remembered which is why he found it odd for him to now be dreaming. He only saw blackness and could not even tell if he was really even there. But occasionally, a bright flash would fly past his eyes; a scene captured in time from which he only glimced a fuzzy and distorted reflection. He waited forever in that darkness, his mind sluggish as he watched the occasional flash of colour. But even though his mind was slow, the time he had now alone as he waited for the next flash was a time when he tried to recognise what he was seeing. Only small things came to mind as he recalled the images, a large expanse of blue, puffs of white rising above. A swath of green, with the occasional streak of golden yellow. It was not until the final flash that he could truly discern something from the distortion. A splotch of white and green and a spot of red slowly moving through an expanse of rising pillars of dim and faded colours moving alongside a splotch of blue and purple. He reached out to the image now projected in front of him, his arm feeling like liquid rubber when he raised it. His hand finally reached the flash, but phased through as it disappeared, leaving him alone with his listless thoughts once again. No more colours came to him that night through the thick curtain of nothingness, but he sat and he mused over the images past, feeling as if he had all eternity to discover their meaning.


	15. Chapter 15

The world came as a swimming haze as Michael woke, faintly aware of the vibration of the vehicle around. The sun only crested the horizon currently, spilling ruby light across the road and countryside, darkness still clinging to the land. His mind was still sluggish, immersed in the dark void of sleep he had experienced for hours in a welcoming comfort. Those visions, what were they? He could not discern much from them, but the feel around them made him yearn to be back in that dark place and to experience it all over again. As the fog lifted from his mind he felt the cold embrace of solitude around him, the first time in weeks since he had awoken without Melody by his side. Not only was the solitude cold, but the air around him as well. Looking over to Tom, he appeared to be as haggard as when they had first brought back the Pokémon and told him of their alliance, all evidence of his recovery wiped away. He drove on with a blank look in his eye, the cold air not even fazing him as he kept his eyes locked ahead of them. Tom didn't acknowledge his awakening, or if he had, ignored it. Michael reached over to the dashboard and turned on the heating, his arm still moving sluggishly like it had been doing in his dream. Within minutes a welcome flow of warm air was being carried throughout the car, wrapping like a blanket around them all and easing their muscles. Michael peered over his shoulder to the back seat. Will's chin was resting on his chest as he slept, arms folded in an effort to stay warm through the cold night. He appeared frail now, asleep in such a position, looking as if his age had finally ravaged his body overnight. The Lucario who travelled with them as a bodyguard was too, asleep. The creature slept huddled into itself, legs drawn up and head resting on its knees, looking rather uncomfortable. Michael guessed that sleeping in a car seat would be just as uncomfortable for a Pokémon as it was for any human. The older leader, however, did not seem asleep neither awake, appearing more like a statue than anything else. With his eyes closed and figure straight, the Pokémon seemed as if it were not all there, mind floating adrift somewhere. With a jerk, Michael was drawn back into his seat as the car swerved sharply, drawing back into a smooth line quickly enough. Tom shook his head in the driver's seat, blinking his tired eyes to clear them and lowly muttered to Michael

"The heat was off for a reason". Cold had kept him awake throughout the night and stopped him from running them off the road, but now his eyes were heavy with weariness brought on from the heat.

"Well, pull over and get some rest" Michael said "You can't drive forever"

"I can't, not now..." he said, nervously eyeing the rear view mirror. "Not until we hit a town"

"When will that be?" Michael asked. The country around them seemed to go on for a long while with no civilisation in sight.

"Soon, maybe..." Tom muttered, turning the heating down but not completely off. In the back of his mind, he wanted rest, but he simply couldn't muster the strength to lie down and sleep after all that had happened.

Will stirred in the back, stretching his old bones as much as he could, given the space provided. He rubbed the sleep from his lined face, adjusting the spectacles as he did so. Turning his attention to the horizon and seeing dawns growing light, he struggled wearily for words

"Where are we going this time?" He asked, his voice carrying the tones of disappointment in having to, yet again, relocate.

"I don't know...we need to stop at a gas station before we keep going" Tom said, glancing at the dashboards now blinking warning light.

"The tank was half full when we arrived back there" Will said "We could get better supplies from a market or corner shop if we found a town, if that's what we need"

"Remember that thing I threw at the bandits we drove off?" Tom said

"Yes, what of it?" Will asked cautiously, dreading the former mercenaries answer

"Molotov" He said flatly. Will sputtered in a rather comedically angry fashion, glaring at the man

"You siphoned petrol from my car to make some...makeshift grenades?" He said incredulously

"It was just a precaution" Tom said as if it would make him innocent "Some extra firepower"

"You wasted something that we needed to travel" Will said "We could have been stuck on foot thanks to you!"

"But we aren't yet, so worry about that when it comes to it" Tom answered, not willing to debate the matter any further. Will just muttered to himself as he sunk into his seat. HE noticed they were missing two people here.

"Where are those other two Pokémon?" He said "That younger one and the wolf?"

"They have stopped for rest" The Alakazam spoke suddenly; making will jump, unaware that the creature had been awake for all this time. "They will meet us again when they resume travelling"

"How? We would be miles from them by now" Michael asked

"The young one will seek my mind when he is ready, and shall find us through that" he answered "I have told him that we will stop soon and he may travel to us when ready""If we make it that far" Will muttered, shooting a look at Tom.

Will was relieved that they did stop after half an hour of waiting for the car to cease and stall. Tom has pulled the car into an abandoned gas station, the area looking as if a stampede had run through it. Pumps hung from their stands and blotches of spilled petrol scattered the ground, making the air thick with fumes. One of the store windows had been stripped of many of their products, and an old car sat idly in the repair garage next to the store, bonnet popped up but looking in rather good condition. The tools around it lay scattered over the concrete floor, dropped and left in the rush. The station was on the outskirts of what looked like a small town, a few houses lining the row up ahead of the station. The familiar scene of desolation seemed monotonous now, truly seeming as if they were the last people in the world with the remnants of civilisation crumbling around them.

"We can stop here, find some more supplies" Tom said "People as well...hopefully."

Tom exited the car with the rest following. Michael surveyed the ghost town like scene as will stretched his legs, trying to ease the aches from his bones. The old leader, too, surveyed the scene. Human dwellings were no mystery to him, but now they were nothing but blocks of grey with the occasional splatter of colour mauling the landscape. In his world, the humans restricted the size of their scattered dwellings, holding a certain respect for his kind with very few cities built to ravage the natural forests and fields. But here it seemed as if the humans cared little for the creatures of their world, most likely because they were little more than beats compared to the intellect of his kind, and were of little use other than food to these humans. He supposed it was not surprising when the creatures that did in habit this world did not have the intellect to fight back. The Lucario was the next one to step from the car, eyeing the land with the same scrutiny of the Alakazam, but with the eyes of a lost child rather than curiosity. Its crimson eyes had lost the fierce spark they once held, now becoming lost in the unknown landscape, nervously shifting on its feet. It was a fighting creature, but the enemy they faced could not be fought with fists or blows. It constantly circled them, intangible, making the Lucario very unnerved. It had never faced a foe without form.

Tom silently thanked God that the pumps had not been switched off, the evacuation having gone far too quickly to care about such things. He filled the car back up, also grabbing some containers for extra fuel which would come in handy, weaponised or otherwise. Michael and Will, meanwhile, entered the station store in search of food which was not processed to the point of tastelessness.

"Not much left, is there?" Will remarked. The shelves were bare, freezers empty but still running; even the cigarette stand behind the counter had been emptied. They were thankful to find a few candy bars lying around the counter, something to slightly boost their spirits. A few cartons of milk had also been left but were now sour and useless. Michael headed into the storeroom behind the counter, cash register raided for every penny of now worthless currency. A few crisp packets and soft drinks were left, adding to their bounty of junk food. They exited the store, having raided all the supplies that were left, to find Tom waiting for them. He stood by the car, now filled and idling. He reached over and grabbed one of the candy bars they had taken, unwrapping it and biting in hungrily.

"Where do we head now?" he asked through a mouthful of chocolate and nougat.

"Do you even know where we are?" Will asked

"Not a clue"

"Then how can we know where to go next" Will said annoyedly "We have no plan, and no idea of where can go. We are absolutely lost right now". Michael spoke up solemnly

"We could stay here for now" He said

"Until we get our act together?" Tom said

"...yes" Michael replied, pause betraying his answer. He was unwilling to move on from here, the place where he had lost Melody, clinging to some hope that she might return to here.

"Not likely, were in the middle of the open with these Pokémon right now" Tom said, finishing the bar he been chewing. "If anything, they force us to keep moving"

"But we can't just keep stumbling forward blindly" Will insisted "After all, didn't those leaders choose these two other Pokémon for protection?"

"Protection to them" Tom said flatly "We're just the means to an end"

"Then they need us alive to get back" Will replied "Everyone is gone anyway¸ there are probably refugee camps set up around the country, everyone would be flocking to those. They wouldn't care about us"

"Those bandits would beg to differ" Tom said

"They fled, we-we scared them off, they're only two now, two against us seven" Will recalled, three of the men had been shot and the others ran, knowing they were no match for a group of Pokémon along with a trained marksman.

"They'll be back..." Tom murmured "They always come back"

"What do you mean?" Will grunted angrily "They wouldn't bother getting themselves killed, even they wouldn't be that stupid"

"They have nothing to lose!" Tom yelled "They'll get us when we're defenceless, and then all this will be worth nothing!" He slammed the car bonnet, leaving a small dent

"Why do you think these things?" Will interrogated "Why are you always so...paranoid!"

Tom was silent for a second, contemplating an answer, struggling with words. He finally gave an angry growl of frustration.

"Fine" He said definitively "You two will never understand unless I explain it all to you"

He seated himself on now slightly dented bonnet of the car, making it lower slightly and give a rusty whine. He massaged the bridge between his eyes, rubbing the exhaustion from his face. The bags under his eyes were darkened, and the lines on his forehead deeper than before, cutting into his flesh. With all fiery anger gone from the man, he now appeared gaunter than ever. He began slowly, as if talking to a group of children.

"I told you I was a mercenary before I became a priest, didn't I?" He said "I told you I had quit, but really, my exit wasn't that gracious" His now far off eyes met Will's "Usually mercenaries keep to themselves, even when in groups like mine, we never communicated much. But the last mission I was assigned, we were all brought together. This was a huge assignment, bigger than I had ever been a part of. It payed handsomely and required all the deadly talent we could muster. Months of planning were needed, and it was necessary with the value of our target, the leader of a huge mining operation in Africa. The man was heavily protected, being close to Robert Mugabe himself, the current dictator of Zimbabwe. He supplied him with cheap diamonds to sell to the foreign markets at inflated prices; the man was so valuable to the economy that he was considered untouchable to any and all government officials save Mugabe himself. Our mission was to kill him at any cost in order for one of Mugabe's right hand men to succeed him and steal his lucrative post, after which we were guaranteed a large sum of the profits made from the mine, enough for many of us to never have to work again."

Tom paused to let the gravity of his tale sink in before continuing.

"The mission was planned for months, with all of us working to find the perfect time and place to do the job. In the end, it was all decided by the man we called "Sting". He was one of most skilled mercenaries we had ever seen; he had intelligence, cunning, and a quick trigger finger. But most of all he was cold, calculating and relentless. Whenever he was assigned a target, he got the job done no matter what, even if he had failed initially. Everyone knew that once someone was targeted by Sting, it was all over. He once chased a man halfway across Canada after failing to kill him in Toronto, all with a bullet wounded arm and no idea of where the guy was headed. They...found the guy's corpse three weeks later, washed up on a beach with a slit throat and no arms." Tom paused for a minute, seeming to struggle in beginning the next part.

"He got information on where the man would be and how we could kill him, and so it was decided. After months of preparing and forging papers, we set ourselves up in Zimbabwe. Horrible country...corrupt policemen and people wallowing in their own shit on the streets. Anyway, we set ourselves up at the diamond mine, posing as engineers and whatnot, and waited for the target to arrive and our queue to be given. After waiting for four hours, the target arrived in an armoured Hummer, odd as we had been informed that he often made the journey in an inconspicuous van. We all broke up and assume our positioned, I was the one set to take detonate the charges laid near the exit, blocking escape. But the target never exited the vehicle; it just idled by the side of the mine entrance. But only after we had begun to wonder what was going on, hell broke loose. Gunfire spouted from one of the sniper positions, followed by our other positions. I knew the plan had failed and legged it. I was hiding near one of the mine shafts and was forced to run under the catwalks to reach the spot in the fence where he had cut a hole, a precautionary measure if this did happen. But the fence was now guarded by soldiers and I was forced to double back, climbing the ladders and hoping to find one near enough to the fence that I could vault over it. Thinking all was lost, I detonated the explosives anyway, hoping that it would buy me some time to escape. But when I pressed the switch, the blast came from far off, not near enough to have been near the gates. I stopped to look out over the area...the explosion was a mile off, leaving a smoking patch of African wilderness. Before I could turn and run again, a large fist caught me in the jaw. Thankfully, I recovered quickly enough to bring up my gun, but it was twisted from my hand and thrown over the edge of the catwalk. It was then I saw who was before me, Sting." Tom's teeth gritted and his words became strained with anger.

"He betrayed us, he betrayed us all dammit! He had told the target of what was going to happen so he could walk away with a huge bribe and a place for him by the official's side. I tried to fight back against him, but the man was a gorilla, he overpowered me and dragged me back to the soldiers. He took his time to beat me before he left, laughing all the while as he tried to break me. He left me to the soldiers afterwards, they were no better, forcing me into the Humvee with them, smacking me with the butts of their guns and jeering. He exited the mining compound and drove off into the wilderness, leaving the soldiers to slaughter the rest of the team. My hands were tied as we drove, and the soldiers didn't mind beating me senseless on the way back to the city. But we didn't enter the city, we stopped on the border and they made me get out of the car. It was obvious they were going to kill me there and then; they had even prepared a noose tied to one of the old trees. Sting took his time to beat me further before this, sadistic bastard, he untied my hands. He wanted me to fight back. It was the last chance I would have of escape and I knew it, so while Sting took his time in grinding me into the ground, I managed to grab at a rock and smashed it into Sting's head. He was angry, he grabbed me and we scuffled around on the ground tearing at each other. The soldiers just laughed as they watched, they enjoyed the healthy fight left in me. But they didn't notice when I managed to grab Sting's pistol from his waist while wrestling with him, neither did he. I managed to throw him off me and get up, quickly firing on the soldiers. Most of them went down without knowing what had happened, and the ones that were left didn't react quickly enough as I disarmed and dispatched of them. But Sting was up by this time, and he had ducked behind the Humvee. He was a ruthless man, but he wasn't stupid, and he knew when he was outclassed, he would just strike later when the time was right like he always had. I knew that this was my chance. I entered the small van he had been taking and drove off without looking back. I head shots fired, presumably from him, but I never stopped to check. I was away and into the city, losing him in the dense crowds soon enough. After that I managed to find someone who could falsify my passport and left the country as soon as possible. I think it was a miracle I even made it out of the county alive, maybe that was how Sting wanted it, so he could try hunt me down again. But he never did, and I tried to disappear into obscurity even so. The group I had been a part of was now broken and disbanded, and I took up my time with a theology course at a small town school. It was far different from what I had done...and the Lords words calmed me somewhat, I thank him every day that I was kept safe from my past. It was a great day for me when I graduated; I became a priest at that small town church, and replaced the kindly old head priest when she passed on. That was six years ago...and then I met you lot, and now everything's been upset again..."

Michael and Will didn't know what to say. Before them sat a man who had most likely endured more physical pain than either of them in their lives, who had then transformed his life into one of peace and caring, only to have them come along and ruin it. His past of murder and blood money had nearly been erased, leaving him with a good life, but now he had been forced to return to that life. They both felt rather terrible and it showed in the sorrow on their faces. Tom saw this and replied

"Now , now, I don't blame you for this. It was...unavoidable."

They all sat in silence for a few minutes, no one knowing exactly what to say after such a tale of horror and betrayal. Michael eventually spoke up uncertainly

"So...you think that it might happen again?" That he asked "That someone might do something to get us all killed"

"Aye..." Tom said solemnly, but fear edged his voice as he continued. "But now...that is not the most of it..." Michael and Will gave him an expectant look, awaiting his true fear which forced this paranoia on him.

"That man, the large one who attacked us back there..." He said with a bitter hatred in his voice "Sting" He spat the word with vilest venom. Silence fell again. This was bad, and it had only gotten worse. Ghost from Tom's past now stalked them, one without care or remorse and one who was known for hunting his prey with deadly commitment. Will stuttered out a question

"You said he was in Africa, h-he betrayed you for some government position!" Will said, trying to dispel any truth that the man who pursued them really was the juggernaut Tom has told them of. "Why would he be here?"

"I don't know" Tom said hopelessly "All those years I spent in hiding, he never tried to find me...but perhaps he never forgot me either". Tom eased himself from the car bonnet, noting slight movement in the corner of his eye. He turned his head quickly enough to catch a glimpse of that Lucario ducking away from them.

"Now he just has a chance to finish the job" Tom said. Will made a strained grumble as he began to pace across the petrol stained concrete.

"More danger, more risks, less time..." He angrily muttered "Everything was beginning to clear up for us and now this stupid assassin comes, from out of nowhere, with the sole intent of killing a man who escaped him years ago!"

"He might not bother" Michael said hesitantly "He could just forget us and try find some people worth more"

"Sting isn't that type of person, Michael" Tom said "He's a hunter, and I've seen the psychotic look he holds when he's looking for someone. He never stops coming"

Will stalked off, muttering to himself as he often did now. Tom walked away without another word, Michael not bothering to follow him, heading for the roadside. He peered down the road and saw the tarmac narrowing to small suburbs not too far up ahead, abandoned now and seemingly gray the landscape. He could see signs of scattered destruction throughout the area, from stray portals which had been opening, obliterating anything that got too close as it tore space and time. The fresh meeting with Sting held in his mind as he gazed upon the scarred land, knowing that the man would burn this entire place to ash if it gave him the chance to kill him. Whether the man would do it for revenge, wealth or simple sadistic entertainment, Tom didn't know. Footfalls behind him broke his concentration, turning to face more questions from Will and Tom that they would surely ask. But instead of the lonely man and White haired professor, he found the Pokémon who he had barely seen before as it listened into his retelling. The jackal like being reminded him of some obscure Egyptian God he had read about in the days of his theology studies, standing on two padded feet with glaring red eyes. But now its eyes had lost their piercing complexion and appeared to be ones of assuredness, constantly trying to not look him in the eyes and searching the landscape without focus.

"You are...warrior...fight...for clan?" The creature spoke through its mouth, but the words seemed to become imbued in Tom's mind as it did so, not unlike what Melody had done, but lacking a double tone. The voice was feminine, despite the creature's masculine appearance, and struggled to form words.

"I was" Tom replied "But my...clan was all killed by one of the members"

"You...are...still a warrior?" she asked again. Her voice was slightly husky, despite the feminine ring to it; it carried pride and honour even as she struggled to speak to him

"Not anymore, I gave up on it after they were killed" Tom said. The creature stared oddly at him, as if it didn't understand.

"But you still fight...You...are still a...warrior" She said "You still...carry honour"

The term was slightly lost on Tom, not understanding the social ways of this Pokémon's species. Next, she asked something completely unexpected to Tom.

"May...we...fight?"

"Why would you want to fight me?" Tom asked cautiously

"In my clan...we train...spar with each other" She said explained gently, still trying to control her tone in this unknown form of speech. "You are a good...warrior, we can...spar to...train"

"Are you sure?" Will asked, being taller and build larger than her. She gave a slight laugh, losing the roughness in her voice for a second as it seemed that her intended voice broke through for a moment

"You are...a strange warrior to...be hesitant of challenge" She replied "I am sure...you are a new...opponent, and it would...be interesting to see your...skills". The creature turned and moved onto a patch of grass beside the gas station, beckoning him over.

Tom hesitantly followed the creature and took his place opposite her. The creature moved in a feral like stance, head bowed low and back hunched, paws spread out with fists balled. Tom eyed the metallic spikes on the back of each paw, not wanting to receive a large stab wound from one if he missed. He himself ducked low, knees bent and arms at his side for support. A defensive stance as he hoped not to engage the creature in full out combat too soon. The old position felt odd to him, muscles sliding back into that stance, imbedded in his mind, for the first time in years. His was a hand to hand combat style which was taught to him while he was part of his guild, standard for everyone to know it and use it, from initiates to higher ups. It was a blend of the Brazilian street fighting style Capoeira and Israeli Krav Maga jujitsu, deigned to drop the opponent as fast as possible by any means necessary, there was no honour or dignity to it, just raw power. This Pokémon, a wild being who had been likely raised to fight in a clan, was a mystery to Tom. He had no idea what to expect of her, whether she would strike, grapple or use his weight against him.

"**We will start...when the rock falls...to the ground" She said, Tom was confused until, with a swift movement of her foot, she kicked a small pebble into the air. He watched as it fell. When it hit earth, she launched herself forward, head nearly touching the ground as she ran, using an amazing sense of balance to keep from falling. Quickly she was upon him, launching an upward swipe as her uncurled her body. Tom's old form came back to him as he automatically fell back, hands reaching out to catch himself in a spider like manner. The Queda de Quatro – the fall of four. With strong arms supporting him, he sprang his legs forward, knocking the Lucario off her feet as his feet cracked against her knees. She threw herself to the side and push up quickly as tom flipped himself back into stance. She attacked again, this time feigning right, dropping left and sweeping her leg under him. He moved swiftly back, following the flow of the kick, using his rear planted foot to lunge forward into a grapple. The Krav Maga grapples were fierce, counter attacking before the opponent had a chance to move, and his showed as his arm met the Lucario's neck, flinging her off balance as Tom's arm curled into a vice. He held her head and rapidly swept his own legs from under him, pitching them both forward onto the ground and locking her legs in position. Disarmed and disabled, that was what he had been taught to do, and when he could easily kill the target who he had pinned. But despite his solid grip, the Lucario was more flexible than a human opponent. She brought her arms around, gripping the back of his head, pulling forward and pushing her head back at the same time. Tom was jarred as he face met her hard skull, jarring him enough for her to free her legs and turn her angular head enough that his grip was lost. Tom rose as fast as he could, but was met with a strike to the chest as he did so, followed by a hard shoulder tackle, knocking the wind out of him and sending him back down. By training and instinct, he fell onto one hand, leg spread and other arm protecting his face in a ****Resistência. The Lucario jumped, leg coming down in an axe kick to finish the match. Tom's supporting arm swung out with perfect timing, striking her leg aside and knocking her off balance. She fell hard onto the solid ground, slightly panting in exhaustion, while Tom too lay on the ground after using his supporting arm in a defensive strike. He did not manage to get up before he a weight on his chest pushed him down, a cold metallic spike held near his throat. The Lucario was slightly smiling in triumph as she looked down upon him.** "**Dead" She said proudly. Tom quickly brought his two hands up, index fingers outstretched, stopping just before they were plunged into her eyes. She reeled back slightly, but kept him pinned.** "**Dead" He repeated, with a smile of his own. She stood, allowing him to pull himself up as well. She looked at him with a slight respect behind the glare she gave him.** "**That was not...an fair tactic" She said** "**Fairness isn't something that has any place in war" Tom said "Attack someone before they have a chance to react"** "**It seems...like dirty fighting" She said** "**Well...it's a dirty world" Tom replied. It was true. Given the chance, someone could and probably would shoot you when your back is turned, or when you aren't prepared. Honour be damned, survival was the important part.** "**I...see" She said slowly, taking note of the move's Tom had used. To her, they were indeed considered dirty and lowly tactics to use, but they were effective. And from what she had seen in this world, ****honour meant little to most. She would expect him this time, already trying to think of ways to counter his own methods.** "**Can we spar...again?" She asked. Tom thought for a moment. While he was sparring, he had forgotten all about this whole situation and the people around him. It gave him a rush of adrenaline and made him feel younger, to fight with quick blows and fierce jabs with someone who would counter with the same quick witted mindset. It was the first time in weeks that he had felt truly alive, and so he smiled and answered to her** "**Aye, let's go again"** **The rest of the morning was lost to him in a blur of quick movements and playful taunts, stopping to occasionally point out problems with balance or force, or to rest and recover from their many bruises and falls. By the time the sun had set, both stood exhausted from their many matches, sweating heavily and swaying as their muscles strained to hold them, large smiles upon their faces.**

The two returned to find Will using his laptop in the backseat, stray notes strewn about him. Michael was nowhere to be seen, and true to their word the two Pokémon who were follow them had arrived. The younger leader was sitting in a meditative position with the older one while the large black wolf slept lazily in the fading light, not surprising after having to carry the psychic on his back for many miles. Will turned to the duo, an unimpressed look on his face.

"**Are you two finished bickering?" he asked "Learn to settle something in a manner that won't kill you"** "**We were sparring, Will" Tom replied "Just a friendly match between the two of us"** "**Since when was dragging someone through the dirt considered friendly?" Will said, awkwardly turning around in his seat to face the two. "You hardly trust them anyway, and we have enough people who would kill us without trying to finish the job ourselves"** **Tom shrugged sheepishly, comforted that he had at least found something interesting to do, taking his mind off his fears of attack. But also, for the first time, he rather appreciated the company of one of these Pokémon, which had been a mystery to him whenever he saw Michael commonly conversing with Melody. His mind jumped back to the young lad** "**Where's Michael?" He asked, Will grabbed a few of his notes out of the car and thrust them at Tom** "**He said he was going to look for some good shelter in the suburbs, meanwhile I was subjected to a complete lack of new information with you two were butting heads" He said. The notes meant little to tom, scribbled in near unreadable chicken scratch handwriting, but Will went on with his small rant.** "**I'm stuck without anything new, all I can do is reanalyse old data with hopes of some new results!" he said, waving his arms in an exaggerated manner. "I am so close, to finding out how to predict the opening of these portals, but because we just sat here all day, I'm stuck without a piece of the puzzle. I don't even know if I have it right, I spent all day with this stupid equation and it is never constant"** "**Are you...an elder?" The Lucario interjected, Will simply gave a groan** "**Oh, another one that can talk, it makes even less sense" he said, stretching his hands over his face."How many of them are psychic? It seems like they just don't bother talking to humans in their world"** "**Aura" The Lucario said "I...speak through the aura"** "**Aura? What is that, some neo-pagan belief?" Will said. The Lucario didn't comprehend the word 'neo-pagan', but continued, voice still broken and strained.** "**We see aura...it is life...energy. Everyone emits it" She said "It is hard...to talk here. Aura is not...as plentiful...in this world"**

"Life energy...that contradicts every thermodynamic law in the book..." Will said

"It sounds like arcane belief to me" Tom said. "Archaic energy which comes from some unknown entity or source, or perhaps resides in everyone, and the practice of manipulating it. Wicca in a nutshell", Will was stunned at how the man could go from a lethal and stubborn man, to a theological scholar in only one statement.

"How do you...oh never mind!" Will said exasperatingly, noticing Michael slowly making his way up towards the gas station.

"**What did you find? Anything?" Will said impatiently.** "**A lot of the houses are undamaged, we could stay in any one" He said listlessly. During his entire survey of the neighbourhood, he had never really focused on one specific place. His mind still reeled with loss and guilt, and he had only left the station to be alone for however long he could. He had wandered through the streets, occasionally entering a random house to see what it contained. In each house, he looked through bookshelves, cabinets, and drawers, unconcerned with food or weaponry. He searched for something unknown, only drawing by the occasional tug at his being towards something that might resemble hope. In the end, all he had found were photos of happy families and couples, ornaments of days gone by aging in their places. The feeling in his mind was one not unlike a drug, giving him relief for a while, before the hope was lost and he could only push back onto the streets, looking for the next hit as he walked on.** "**Fine, take one near the station" Toms said "We're near the edge of town, we'll see anything going in or coming out"** "**Paranoid to the letter..." Will grumbled** "**Tactical" Tom corrected "If I hadn't come one on this journey, you'd all likely be dead by now"** **Will couldn't fault him there, the man's paranoia had saved them once before, and he had protected them ever since. It was grating, but it gave them all a better sense of security and let them sleep easy at night. Michael had been wondering something about the man, who had simply pulled up stake after their attack and travelled with them ever since.** "**Why did you join us, then?" He asked simply "Why keep following us, even now?" Tom hesitated before answering; a slight pause with an off glance.** "**My parish was destroyed; there was nothing left for me in that town. I hardly had much of a life outside the Lord's work back then" he said "And now I know you'll all get yourselves killed if I leave, the guilt of that keeps me following"****. ****He had admittedly grown fond of their little rag tag group, but wasn't willing to say it, and at least he wasn't alone in this situation. A soldier without comrades is just a fool with a gun.** "**Good to know something does" Will said, climbing back into the car. Everyone else followed suit, the drive only a short one to the end of the road where an undamaged house sat. The house was the generic kind you would expect to see on a family sitcom. White picket fence and tin mailbox, both now knocked over, along with a small garden out front; Regular housing for regular people living the so called 'American dream' of having a good house and loving family. The car was parked in the open garage, door sealed to prevent unwanted visitors. The house was cosy, thankfully, offering a warm shelter from the cold dusk winds coming from the north. Everyone took places in the house, hoping for an easy night. Will took a guest bedroom, welcoming the warm bed instead of a lumpy couch, while the Pokémon scattered themselves. Mightyeena sleeping on one of the chairs in the living room, stretched over it like a comical animal instead of a proud wolf, and the two leaders taking a place on the floor, insisting that their trances provided more than enough rest regardless of surroundings.** **Dusk went and the moon rose in the sky, darkening the house. Power was out, and only a lone flashlight illuminated the area around the spacious lounge. The Mightyeena was already asleep, faint whines occasionally accompanied by a twitch in the leg, while Tom sat on the couch with the lone Lucario beside him. They had talked for a while, the awkwardness of talking to another Pokémon having left Tom soon enough, even though her raspy voice did slow the pace. They had talked of their battles, their experiences in their own elements. The Lucario had come from a clan where she had been trained as a warrior, defending the rocky mountain that was their territory and protecting the young and frail when they were required to leave and collect food. The idea of female warriors had slightly surprised Tom, knowing that females in the animal kingdom were usually restricted to looking after their young and only fought when put in danger, but after hearing of the conditions her clan endured, it made sense to allow them into a warrior circle. Crossings through the mountains and deserts were often dangerous, risking the slower and sickly ones, who were the one's put in charge of foraging, being picked off by other Pokémon. She too, had listened intently to Tom's stories of his many missions' he had carried out while in his own 'clan', as she called it. The idea of honour was a larger part of her people's culture, but in this world, people had shirked honour in favour of survival, not willing to fight a losing battle. Their spars throughout the day had worn them out, and they reclined comfortably on the long couch, too tired to consider moving. The Lucario had now fallen asleep, head fallen on Tom's shoulder, who was too tired to do anything about it but also didn't really mind it. At least it was familiar company. Will passed through the living room after exiting the bathroom, noticing the two, as well as the rifle at Tom's feet. ** "**It dark out there, Tom" Will said, expecting the man to take his sentinel position, wakefulness fuelled by fear. "It'd be the best time to set up watch for the night"** "**...maybe I could...not bother tonight" Tom replied. Will was surprised at the man's calmness, being very unlike him. This was a new area, unknown to them all, and that was what had set Tom off at the farmhouse after they had arrived. It was his crux.** "**Are you sure?" Will asked carefully, the man seemed too placated to him, it wasn't the person he knew.** "**Aye, I'm...tired" Tom said** "**That never stopped you before" Will humoured. The man could stay up for days and still refuse sleep in the name of safety.** "**Yeah...well..." Tom trailed off, he couldn't come up with an excuse, and he just wanted rest right now. Will shrugged and let him be, hiding his glee that his sleep would go undisturbed by stray gunshots. The empty king sized bed only served to remind him of how alone he was now. Tom lowered his head and let his heavy eyes close, head tipping onto the sleeping Pokémon next to him as sleep took him.**

Michael was again left with the master bedroom, although now he wished for something smaller. He sat on the bed for a long time; his rifle held limply in one hand, he had simply forgotten to drop it in all he had been feeling. Occasionally he found himself having rested his jaw on the barrel, never meaning to do it, always hearing scatter voices running throughout his head. Pull the trigger, they said, make it all better. He didn't, out of some useless hope he still clung to. Eventually, he didn't know when, he mustered the energy to drop the gun and lay down. Darkness soon billowed around him again, for a single moment erasing all feelings and leaving him truly content with everything in his life. The inky dark veil came again, surrounding him in a sluggish field of black where he could see and hear naught. He dreamed for the second time that night, the flashes coming again, colours filling his vision for brief instances before rushing by. But even though invisible tendrils squeezed at his mind, slowing his thoughts and muting his inner voices, he knew something was different. It took him an age in his mind to process it, that the images were somehow clearer this time. The blurs and smudges of light took more shape now, still fuzzy as before, but all drawing themselves into shapes and curves. He heard now, slow rumbling and thunder resonating dully throughout the void, coming to his ears as the flash approached, tapering off as they passed. Again he sat there, again he pondered, and again he dreamed of light.


	16. Chapter 16

Michael woke alone again the next day and the pain was still fresh on his heart, taking all of his strength to move out of bed and into the cold world he now inhabited. His mind seemed to accelerate back into reality as he woke, leaving behind the sluggishness it experienced while he watched the show of light and sound his mind played for him, allowing huge influxes of information to come to him. He sifted through those images in his mind, dream still fresh but fading fast. It was light outside, the sun already above the horizon, grey clouds dispersed to shed a great swath of lilac light on the land. He had slept in but it was worth it, to him, to remain in that blissful blackness with only flashes of light and memory to accompany him. He thought of those dreams as he sat on the bed, half covered in his ragged clothes and with stubble still rough on his face, wondering if they even meant anything. The hazy images he saw and the sound he heard, a din of low roars and crashes, could be somehow connected maybe. As he turned his head, he saw the light dancing across the roads and houses, slight mist hanging in the air and blurring the view. The haze of the things he saw, the lights that were near formless, maybe covered by a thick mist of his mind. But why? Was his mind trying to protect him of these images? Maybe knowing they would only hurt him further? He sighed in defeat as he struggled to the doorway and out into the hall, hunger in his stomach barely registering above all else he was feeling. Coming down into the living room, he saw the group of Pokémon scattered throughout the area as they slept. He turned his head away with a slight sneer as he saw Tom and the Lucario sleeping so closely, the sudden feelings of heavy hate spreading through his chest. He could not deny that he was angry. Tom finding this close friend when he had only just lost his own, coming so easily to him. The jealousy moved through his mind like a creeping vine as he stalked to the kitchen, where they had loaded some of the food supplies into the pantry.

Canned foods were wearing thin now, being the kind of food one can only eat for so long before it all tastes the same. It was all they had right now, but their search of the gas station had thankfully turned up some more appetizing things. Michael grabbed a packet of crisps, tearing the foil and shovelling the fried food into his mouth, not caring for the nutrition of it all. It was oily and most likely loaded with chemicals, but it at least tasted of something. Will was nowhere to be seen, probably still sleeping along with everyone else. Despite his late rising, Michael had still awoken before anyone else, and was suddenly regretting not staying in bed. They all needed a long rest, he supposed, from the running and fighting these days. He wondered absently if this was how life was going to be from now on, and even if this all just went away, what would be left afterwards? Pokémon left in this world could be hunted, trained, or isolated without remorse, being the alien creatures they were. But on the other hand, Pokémon could do the same and begin to hunt humans after being treated like so. His thoughts drifted vaguely through the haze of confusion morning brings, the packet of crisps in front of him sitting unfinished. He sat there for some time, listening to the occasional creak of the house or grunt of one of its occupants. Will was the first one to rise after him, coming down the hall with heavy steps and appearing as if messily drunk, though perhaps not on alcohol. After Will had grabbed some of his own food, he sat down at the table and began to eat, talking of the work to be done on the day. Michael only half listened to his seemingly mindless chatter. Will occasionally paused when speaking, having realised the stupidity of what he was saying and taking a moment to reassure himself that it was all real. The plan was simply to search the town for any supplies or hopefully civilians who could help in some way or another. The town appeared abandoned from where they were, but this was only the fringe of it, unknown secrets could be lurking behind the closed doors further downtown.

"The place looks pretty beat up" Michael said, interrupting Will as he explained the likelihood of finding anyone else.

"Well yes, it seems like the initial opening of those portals clustered around this area" He said "But that might mean that we have a better chance of...perhaps finding one" . His tone betrayed his confidence.

"Why would there be so many?" Michael asked, Will didn't miss the glimmer of hope that sparked in his eyes for a second. "Did something cause it?"

"Probably not, some areas are weaker than others, and this town was just in the way of a weak area" Will said "But the portals shouldn't worry us, the weakness had probably shifted by now, clustering somewhere else". Will hated to see that spark of hope die in Michael, but the truth was necessary, although cruel. He tried to change the subject

"If we find anyone, how do you think they would react to seeing Pokémon travelling with us?" He asked

"Well...they might realise they're not threatening, if we stay close" Michael said

"But they would be hesitant to approach us" Will observed

"What other choice do they have? If they've got nowhere to go then they can't do anything"

"Mmh...Good point" Will said, finishing the small sachet of porridge he had been eating. A voice greeted them from the doorway

"Morning all" Tom said, standing tall and looking visibly refreshed, the Lucario standing slightly behind him with red eyes seeming to glow in the morning light. Michael had not heard her speak before and felt slightly odd when she did. Her voice was sharply different from Melody's, being rougher and lacking in telepathic ring, the words coming out strained.

"The two elders want...to know what...you plan to do...today" She said, hovering closer to Tom than anyone else as he made his own way to the pantry. The best Tom could find for her was some canned meat, having been told by her that while Lucario's could eat berries and vegetables, too much of them could cause sickness. Meat was their main diet, and the Lucario accepted the meal gratefully, but almost shyly.

"I had just explained what our best plan would be" Will said, preferring not to repeat himself but doing so anyway. "We can search deeper into this town, look for more supplies and maybe someone who can help. A supermarket would be the best thing, but it might have been scavenged completely by now"

"Sounds like a solid plan then" Tom said, sounding a little more upbeat than in previous days. Will was surprised he had agreed, let alone complimented it. Michael looked over to the Lucario again, sitting next to Tom as they ate their own meals. She seemed to trust Tom more than the rest and also seemed to have a positive effect on him, a good night's sleep probably also contributed.

The rest of the meal was spent in relative silence, Will leaving to prepare some things and Michael opting to stay in the kitchen with a glass of water, occasionally picking at the crisp packet that still lay on the table.

Throughout the rest of the morning, the group went their separate ways. Michael didn't know what to do with himself, settling for sitting in the living room with a small book he had found in the master bedroom by the name of "The Paradise War". The protagonist was too, pulled into a world that wasn't his own, and made a new life there. The similarities were painful for Michael to read and think about. Tom was once again going through spars and small drills with the Lucario, to which Will watched with fascination as the Lucario conjured up large burning orbs of blue light. She explained it to him as an Aura Sphere, but he was more interested in trying to find what caused it.

"So, you can just conjure these balls of...aura was it? At Will?" Will asked the Lucario, still watching the shifting blues and whites move through the flaming ball of light

"I can, but...it is hard...here" She said, straining to keep the ball fuelled in her hand "Aura is...less abundant here". She sighed in relief as the ball dissipated, energy wisping away into the air.

"Well, what do you use it for?" Will asked "Is it like some kind of power source, or tool?"

"We can use...it in fighting" She replied

"Fighting?" Will blinked "You said it was...life energy? but you fight with it?"

"And it burns like a bitch too" Tom chipped in, rubbing his shoulder where she had struck him in one of their earlier spars. He remembered how the blue fire coated her paw as she brought it down, the painful jolt which shot through his nerves as it hit and the burning it left, despite leaving no visible scar.

"It is...potent" She said "It...burdens the enemy"

"So it's like short circuiting the body? Fascinating" Will said, already thinking of uses for this new exotic form of energy and if it could be harvested artificially. Now he just had to figure what caused it, photon, electrons, exotic matter and the like. Tom saw the gleam of thought in his eye

"You're trying to figure out this, aren't you?" He asked

"Well, it's fascinating to see what I could make of it" Will said, Tom laughed slightly, a sound Will wasn't accustomed to hearing.

"If it really is life energy then I doubt you can decipher it" Tom said "Ah, science always dismissed the arcane, but now you see that it's real and it's impossible by your laws. One of God's mysteries that man won't figure out"

"Oh that's just cynicism, give me enough time, I'll find what makes it work" Will shot back

"Whatever you want then, try focusing on something a bit more useful" Tom taunted happily.

The rest of Tom's day was spent with the Lucario, talking about what she called Aura. Throughout all of his theological studies he had learned of a few beliefs that had some variant on the whole life energy idea, but seeing it in action made him eager to learn more.

It wasn't until nightfall that everyone was ordered to gather their things for the coming raid. Tom had told them that it would be best to do under cover of darkness, despite the deserted appearance of the town, people could still be here, scattered among the wreckage. They were all rather reluctant to leave the comfort of their new shelter, being a cosy place that helped to calm them all, but the priorities right now were on supplies. They all entered the car, with the Mightyeena and younger leader travelling ahead of them to scout the way. The Lucario sat in the front seat while Tom drove, with Will, Michael and the older leader loaded into the back. Will reluctantly carried the same shotgun he had used during the raid on their previous shelter, while Michael sombrely carried the same rifle. The leader in the middle looked at the guns with slight contempt, seeing them as a cowardly way to fight and machines with no intent but genocide of his race. Although he knew they were not turned on him, he still did not feel at ease when around them. The Lucario didn't carry a weapon, of course, despite how her close combat would be useless if anyone else carried firearms. She trusted Tom that he would protect them all, seeing the makings of a veteran warrior in him. When she had first been assigned to them by the council of leaders, she had been hesitant. The groups of Pokémon back at their encampment would often tell of what they experienced when they first entered this world and the death they had seen, making her distrust these humans more so than the ones who roamed the mountains of her home. She knew that she along with the other Pokémon who were escorting these humans could easily be killed if their weapons were as powerful as had been said. But when she had heard Tom talking of his days as a warrior, she couldn't help but listen in on it. She felt something strange for him, a respect for someone who had fought so, like a soldier would feel for their fellow comrades. She had grown to trust him more as they had both sparred and trained together, forming a loose friendship, and he had told her of some of the things to be prepared for in this world and how to protect herself against them. Something a fellow warrior would do to protect their friends.

She broke her thoughts and turned to look out at the various things passing by her. She had seen towns and cities from the mountains and hills her tribe had inhabited, always seeming so small in the distance. But here, she was given her first full view of civilisation, albeit one that was now damaged and desolate. Somehow these humans managed to survive in one area, manipulating the land and coaxing food and water from it, not needing to worry about food running our or attacks from various wild Pokémon. It would be nice to not have to move around, she thought, but the places she had seen while travelling were all different and unique. A city was uniform and slightly drab, but it was safe and unmovable. If the humans sacrificed beauty for abundance then she would let them as the large concentrations of them kept hostility away from the nearby wilderness. She was pulled from these thoughts by the jolt that came as the car stopped. Everyone was thrown forward for a second as the shock shuddered through the car, turning to see what had happened. Tom sighed deeply, the car had stopped just an inch away from a particularly large pile of rubble, headlights illuminating the broken concrete pile. Tom turned to face everyone from the driver's seat.

"Well, we're far enough down town, and I don't want to risk driving around in the dark looking for another way" he said, popping open the door and stepping out, taking his rifle with him. "We can walk from here. It'd probably less noticeable too"

Everyone got out, taking staring warily around the ruined landscape. This part of town was harder hit, larger buildings and stores having collapsed under their own weight, chunks of twisted metal and shattered glass scattered over the road. It looked like a small market or business district, store signs hanging from broken fixtures on the walls. A flash briefly illuminated the area, everyone quickly turning to see the younger leader walking along side the Mightyeena, whose front paw was stepping tenderly on the road.

"I apologise for not being able to warn you, but it seems that my companion has stepped on something rather sharp" He said, his voice echoing into their minds. The Mightyeena gave a short whine in response. Will approached the creature attentively, as anyone would do when approaching a wolf.

"May I see it?" He asked warily "I could help if he still has anything stuck in his paw"

The Mightyeena gave a cautious look, but whined again in resignation as it laid down, allowing Will to lift its paw and observe it. Even in the dark, he could see the small shard of glass that was indeed lodged in the soft pads of the Pokémon's foot, the moonlight shimmering around it as the nearly black blood dripped from the wound. He gently plucked the glass sliver from the wound, the creature snarling in pain but withholding its instinct to strike back. Quickly grabbing a small medical kit in the trunk of the car, he disinfected the wound, causing more snarls from the creature as the iodine stung it's paw, and wrapping it in a bandage. The creature rose and gently laid it's paw on the ground, happy to find the pain more or less gone.

"Don't run with that on, it'll heal in a few days or so" Will said, the creature giving a low bark in acknowledgement.

After this, Tom led them forward, through the rubble and debris of the wasted area. They no longer had the two forward scouts to run ahead, only having instinct to rely on. The city was deadly quiet as they made their way through the area, looking into windows and storefronts for anything useful. The soft chirps of crickets were the only things to break the silence, providing a very lonely ambience, as if they were the only ones left on this revenged planet. If any words were spoken, it was in a hushed whisper, silence being preferred. One storefront caught Michael's attention, a metallic front open to the elements, small plastic boxes set outside a broken glass door. Inside he saw the faint glint of metal in the light. He whispered to Tom and Tom moved toward it, rifle ready, peering through the door.

"Damn it, it's too dark, can't see a thing" He whispered frustratedly. A second after the words left his mouth, a soft blue glow filled the area, casting a gentle light through the doorway and illuminating the shelves of canned food and plastic packaging inside. He turned to see the Lucario holding an aura sphere, burning silently in the night. He gave her a soft smile and she smiled back, slowly moving into the building. The interior was revealed to be a small and generic convenience store, coolers of drinks across the wall and cigarette packs behind the counter. He motioned everyone in, all silently rejoicing in the newfound stash of supplies. They all went their separate ways, grabbing whatever they needed or wanted. Tom and the Lucario guided themselves over to the coolers, searching through the darkened fridges. Opening the door and feeling through the produce found it to be relatively cool, despite the power having shut off. Tom guessed that a generator had been left on and only recently burnt off. He laughed silently as he grabbed a carton of milk; things were actually going well for once. The Lucario called for him from the other end of the coolers, rather excitedly too.

"Look!" She said, not having to bother being quiet with her pseudo-telepathy. He moved over to see she was looking into one of the meat coolers. "Good meat"

"Yes, very good meat" He replied. He wouldn't mind a good steak himself after all those cans of fruit and tinned meat. The meat wasn't spoiled, even better because he doubted that he would have left it anyway. He pulled various packets of all sizes from the cooler, the Lucario taking some in her paws and trying to hold back the urge to bite into one then and there.

"Tom, how much...can we take?" She asked

"Just enough that we can eat it before it goes bad, and then-"He stopped, realising something from what she had just said. "You've never told me your name" he said awkwardly. Indeed it was an odd time to bring it up, but it seemed rather significant as he had just been addressing her directly until now. She laughed softly, realising that she too had only now addressed him by his name, despite knowing it all this time.

"Names...aren't as important...to us" She said "Scent is...what we recognise...but I was named...Layla"

"Layla, can't say I've ever heard a name like that before"

"My name...isn't important...you can call me...something else if you want" She said, the idea of a name in Lucario culture being something only used in formal rituals and rites. Tom smiled and closed the cooler

"It's fine, I like Layla" He said, the word still new and exotic to him, something he liked. They headed out of the shop, gathering the others along with them. Michael carried a small basket he found by the counter, filled to the brim with canned and wrapped food that would last them a long time. Will and the two psychics carried fruits and vegetables. The Mightyeena eyed the meat packages hungrily as it carried a large packet of frozen corn held in his jaws. The two psychics guided their way in front, sensing their way past the rubble and trying to once again find where the car had been left. Through the blackened city it was now even quieter, even the crickets had ceased their chirping and the wind was dead in the trees. Nothing but the sound of their footsteps could be heard. Ahead of them, silhouetted against the slight moonlight, a large building loomed. None of them had noticed it before, heading the wrong way so that it could not be seen. As they approached, rustic letters could be made out upon a sign post outside, some torn off and nowhere to be seen. By the looks of the remnants, it was some large department store. Michael spoke up as they walked past

"We could search in there" He said, Tom turned his head and inspect the large warehouse

"Looks like an old Wal-mart...We have food, I don't think we'd find much else we need" He said, making to leave, but Michael stopped him again

"But we might find some people, it could've been a shelter for them" He said. Michael was unsure that there were, but something drew him to the building, feeling as if something important was inside. Tom was torn on finding new allies and having to share their newfound rations. Eventually he decided that allies could be worth it in the long run.

"Alright, we'll search it, but not for too long" He said, hoping this was something he would not regret later. They made their way through the car park, the place being as desolate as other areas, but with the addition of large wrecks of burnt out cars and busses. The wrecked cars smouldered in their frames, rust creeping at the edges of some, others a mangled mess. The shine from the bonnets seemed like small beacons in the air as they moved through them. The entrance had been smashed, expectedly, and the store lay in ruin. Huge shelves of merchandise had been overturned, shelves stripped and parts of the roof torn off, the crunching of glass echoing underfoot in the huge area. Layla slightly shrunk at the size of the place, the huge open area walled off on all sides seeming like a prison to her, the wreckage doing nothing to lessen the thought. Tom moved forward, his foot suddenly catching on a large chunk of metal, sending the pole clattering across the ground, shattered glass screeching as it did. The den of noise that projected through the empty warehouse was joined by an unearthly screech above them. Will let out a cry as he heard this, his heart racing at the sudden disturbance. Whipping his head up, Tom caught a glimpse of a horde of formless black masses flying high above, screaming as they quickly filed their way out though one of the holes in the roof and into the deep night sky. The screeches slowly faded, as did the groups panic as they all looked on at the high ceiling above them.

"Golbats" The older leader answered "They prefer caves, but this area must have sufficed for them"

"Will they come back?" Will asked

"Only they are sure that we have left, most likely in the morning" The leader replied calmly.

Shaking this off, they made their way into the store, all splitting up again, despite Tom's protest that it would do little good tactically. The store seemed utterly abandoned as well, and if anyone was there then the calls of the Golbats had surely awoken them. Layla travelled with him, while the rest went separate ways. They travelled slowly down the aisles; boxes of unsold but useless products surrounding them, some of them tipped over and emptied. The entire electronics department was gone as well, pointless for anyone right now but something someone could hold onto if they made it through to see peace restored. Nothing seemed very interesting, until they came across the sports section of the store, Astroturf carpet shifting under them as they observed the low and spaced racks. Bats, poles and all manner of hunting knives were stored here. All useful in more ways than one. At the back of this section, Tom found something he could certainly use, the firearms supplies. They had been raided already, but most of the ammunition and some of the weaponry still remained, Tom silently thankful that most people didn't see the use behind a scope or extra magazines.

"Wait here Layla" He said, laying his weapon on the floor and jumping over the bench top. The majority of the firearms were kept in the backroom on the edge of the store, behind the counter. He flicked the light switch inside the supply room, but no light came. He could have brought Layla with him, but even here he refused to search without someone watching his back.

Michael was currently wandering through the store aimlessly. He had no interest in anything still left on the shelves, cut price clothing and cheap children's toys lying amongst them. He found himself with little drive to do anything now, even walk through this darkened remnant of the past, holding his rifle loosely. But even lacking this passion he had not so long ago felt for life, he walked on. He felt something inside him, tugging at his very core for attention, but it seemed so faint and so weak that he wondered if he was just imagining it. His feet moved of their own accord, making his way towards the offices at the rear of the building. The offices weren't much, only a few desks and computers, oddly unharmed. He looked around the room to see it all neat and tidy, as if no one had even bothered to search it. Office supplies lay in their boxes, papers were filed in large cabinets, and the desktops wee spotless. There was nothing of use in here; even the computers would be useless now. He saw, as he turned to leave, the lock on the door. It was shattered, wooden splinters hanging from it, large dents in the metal knob. He moved closer, peering at the destroyed mechanism. The splinters were fresh, dust still falling from the wound in the door. His foot bumped against a small object. He looked down to see it was a large mallet, black rubber dull in the slight light, he bent down to pick it up. A loud crash sounded only a few feet away, making him stumble back, seeing the source of the noise. A large black mass charged towards him, grabbing at him before he could raise his gun. Michael jerked back, letting out a loud cry, the large creature reaching out a hand and tearing at his shirt. He nearly fell as the fabric tore around his neck, stinging as he ran, rifle fallen to the ground with no time to retrieve it. He ran from the office, loud steps thundering behind him, angered grunts calling out as the creature pursued him. He sprinted down one of the aisles, daring a look back as he dodged the fallen debris. The large creature was now illuminated by the moonlight, a great hulking beast of a man with broad shoulders and rippling muscles underneath a padded vest undone at the chest, eyes emitting fury and excitement as he gained on him. Michael threw himself around a corner and kept running, hoping the turn would give him enough time to gain some ground from the man who was now only metres away. The man didn't stop, turning sharply with only a second pause before launching himself forward at full speed. Michael yelled out, calling to anyone who could hear. His call was answered a second later with the incoming footsteps of another, coming from one of the aisles ahead. He barely had time to see Tom round the corner before a great weight struck from behind, sending a flash of pain through his head and pushing him forward. The blow was followed by another hard strike, metal tipped shoes biting into his side as his attacker leant down to grab him again. The man had caught sight of Tom, and quickly made his decision. He smoothly grabbed Michael and threw him hard into another aisle, world spinning as he hit the hard floor. The steps thundered towards him as gunshots rang out through the store. Michael tried to move to his feet, but another sharp blow to the face stopped him before the great beast of a man thundered past and down to the end of the aisle. Tom rounded the corner and fired into the distance, his shot impacting on the back of the man's vest, but doing nothing to slow him. He quickly helped Michael up, pulling the bruised man to his feet and shoving a pistol into his hands.

"If you see him again, just shoot" Tom said, dragging him back out of the aisle to where Layla was standing, no longer holding an aura sphere. She glanced at Michael, slight worry crossing her face before she followed Tom, back towards the hunting section. Michael followed with his chest and face aching from the harsh beating they had taken.

Layla ran along with Tom, trying desperately to find the man who had assaulted one of her pack. She stopped abruptly, sighting a shadow at the end of one of the aisles and ran for it without warning. She reached the end of the aisle and launched herself around the bend, tacking the shadow she had seen. It was a younger man, wearing the same kind of vest the bigger one had and holding a large rifle. she brought her fist up into his face with practiced speed and precision, the young man crying out in pain and quickly grabbing at her in rage. They scuffled along the ground, and although she was the better fighter, the man was strong and she could do little when on the ground. Punches and kicks were exchanged, but it only took her one mistake to end up pinned, the man holding her arms down with his entire weight. She struggled, but it was of little use as the man used his free leg to drive painful jabs into her legs, trying to subdue her. She reacted with something Tom has taught her, swiftly kicking her leg up and into the man's crotch, something that was looked upon as cowardly in her tribes fighting matches. He howled in pain and faltered, letting her throw him off and leap to her feet. While the man was still on the ground, she ran towards him, swinging the rear of her paw sharply towards his head. With a loud crack and gruesome squashing sound, the spike on the back of her paw embedded itself in the man's temple, his body falling limp to the floor, blood slowly pooling on the cold linoleum, appearing like a black puddle of tar on the white ground. A yell of anger came from behind her, her head swinging around to see another young man with a bandaged shoulder, his shotgun raised to her head. She couldn't move in time to escape the blast, but before it came, a loud bang sounded from behind the man, his chest bursting forward. She felt warm blood splatter across her face, soaking into her fur and tainting her mouth with a rancid taste of iron. The man fell to reveal Will behind him, shotgun barrel smoking and with a look of horror on his face. He didn't have time to reflect on what he had just done, Layla grabbing him and dragging him back to where she was sure Tom would be. She reminded herself to thank the old elder later, having thought him a bit of a frail coward before.

Tom and Michael were behind the counter of the hunting section, trying to recover some breath. They heard the shot ring out, but didn't move, praying that it wasn't one aimed at Will or Layla. Tom looked over the desk at the sound of rapid steps approaching them, seeing only shadows in the darkness. But the shape of the approaching shadows were one's he could recognise, one tall and lean, the other slightly shorter and moving swiftly with a purpose. He called out to them, but was cut off as another form barrelled from the aisle beside them and struck the shadow in front. A feral cry met his ears as the larger form replied with an enraged shout. Even before he started towards the two, ignoring Michael's cries behind him, he knew who this was, who had done all this. The name permanently imprinted in his mind.

"Sting!" He yelled, charging towards the man who now held Layla against the wall, grip tight around her neck, making her gasp for air. Sting ignored Tom's call as he brutally drove his fist into Layla's abdomen, knocking even more breath from her, wincing as he drove his fist forward a second time. Tom aimed his rifle and fired, only getting off one or two shots before Sting's giant hand knocked the rifle from his grip, the bullets impacting harmlessly on his thick vest. Bulletproof metal plates. His eyes held that look of animalistic battle lust, free hand curling into a fist and striking Tom. Tom recoiled as he was hit, but launched into another attack, sending his foot into Sting's chin. Sting loosened his grip enough for Layla to finally breathe in a gasp of air before he threw her against one of the shelves, her body flying like ragdoll and hitting the metal bars, clattering to the floor. Sting turned all his attention to Tom now, parrying blows and striking out against him. He caught Tom's fist in a punch, crushing it painfully in his hand. Tom flung his arm over Sting's, grappling and using the leverage to swing his leg back into Sting's face, the blow dropping him. Tom let go of the grapple as soon as the man fell, sliding himself away as Sting quickly regained his composure. They stood, glaring at each other. Old enemies that now met again, one a traitor, and one a coward.

"Finally come out" Sting mocked. His voice was calmingly deep and smooth; almost hypnotic in the way he spoke. He had the mouth of a viper. "I would have found you someday; it doesn't matter where you hid yourself"

"It wasn't too hard to hide from you, you must be losing your touch" Tom shot back, Sting let out a thick laugh

"Yes, but hiding is what you've always done best" He said, looking over to the others, scattered around the area. The two leaders along with the Mightyeena stepping out of the aisle to the left of him. The older one spoke directly to Sting, addressing him as if he were nothing but an insignificant speck.

"You...you are the one who assaulted our brethren, are you not?" He demanded, Sting's expression was unchanged as he looked upon the three creatures, but mind working a strategy into play already. "Answer, human"

"Yes, it should've known not to get in my way, but it was too distracted by that one my men shot up" Sting replied, casually slipping a hand into his pocket, leaning on one of the collapsing shelves as if it meant nothing to him. "Too easy once it lost it's head". The old leader's eyes flashed with anger for a moment, before calmly stating Sting's fate, as if he had given such judgement before.

"You have killed one of our tribe, and thus, you Will be punished justly" He said, his eyes sparking to life with a bright blue glow, sending out a great wave of force towards the man. Sting didn't have time to dodge as the wave hit him, jamming him against a wall, unable to move freely. Sting struggled but could not break free, his arms and legs only thrashing about uselessly in the air.

"The execution Will be carried out by out companion, and may your spirit be damned to wretched stagnation" He spat, the words cursing the man's very existence. The Mightyeena lowered itself and moved purposely forward, ready to lunge for the man's jugular. Tom watched on as the man who had betrayed his own brothers was to be dragged to his grave in a bloody mess. His eyes darted, seeing Sting make a calm and slow movement as he drew his hand from his pocket.

Tom cried out as he saw the glinting metal in Sting's hand that, with a flick of Sting's wrist, was sent hurtling into the middle of the two leaders. The younger one saw the panic on Toms face and grabbed at the older leader, jerking him away and launching both of them forward. The whole thing happened so quickly that time slowed for everyone around. Michael watched from behind the counter as the small metal object was thrown, Tom yelling and turning on his heels, the younger of the two leaders violently pulling the older away and towards safety. Will backed up and tried to find cover behind an old display. In the last remaining moments, Michael saw Tom fall to the ground, body covering the furred form lying in a heap not to far away. A large blast ripped through the area, heat wave hitting Michael's face as he threw himself down, the shockwave making him fall hard as it rolled past. Within a few seconds, he was back up, peering into a great wall of fire, shadows being made out just past the dancing flames. Before he knew it, he found himself running towards the inferno, calling out for anyone who was there. He didn't know why he did it, but something inside him forced him towards the flames, fearing the loss of his friends. Through a gap in the flames, he spotted Tom, dragging himself across the floor on his knees to avoid the smoke above him, Layla lying weakly across his back. Michael ran over and helped him, pulling the two out of the flames and into the fresh air. Tom lay exhausted on the ground, the back of his shirt black and singed by the flames; he looked up, trying to struggle to his feet.

"Where's Will?" he croaked, a voice called from the side as if on cue

"Over here!" Will called, waving them towards him, the two leaders standing next to him, but the Mightyeena nowhere to be seen. Tom dragged himself over along with Michael, Layla murmuring slightly as she was carried.

"Put me down" She murmured, Tom complying despite her condition. She swayed as she was set down, nearly falling. Looking behind her, she saw the great fire behind them, her fur standing on edge from the very energy it threw towards them with its presence.

"We need to go!" Will said, urging everyone to follow him through the store, looking for the exit to escape this failed raid. They all moved slower than they would have liked, with Tom's back burning as he walked and Layla moving with a slight limp. They stopped as she fell to the ground, Tom quickly to help her back to her feet, Will shuffling impatiently in front. Michael noticed Layla's uneasy look, her fur bristling in a cold wind which now flew through the store, sending chills down his own spine. She looked around, sniffing the air as if something was wrong.

"Something is...here" She said "Something big". They all felt it now, the great sense of energy in the air, as if the place had become charged with lightning. They kept moving with their slowed pace, all the while; dread growing heavy on their minds. As they rounded a corner and sighted the exit, a loud explosion was heard, tearing its way through the store. A blinding flash followed as they all turned, Michael's heart nearly exploding from his chest at what he saw. Obscured by the tall shelves, a great light eliminated from the centre of the store, air charged with fury. Everyone one else looked on as Michael took a slow step forward, his mind racing, followed by another, and another. He burst forward, sprinting with all his might, back into the fray as he hoped to god for what he saw to be real. The others called from behind him but his ears were deaf to them as he ran through the maze of aisles, searching for the source. Turning a corner, he found it, bringing up his arms to shield his eyes from the sudden light as he looked on. A great white of light glowed in the middle of the large aisle, sparks flying from all it touched and a deafening shriek piercing his ears. The others footsteps came from behind him, but he didn't care to hear them. Only one thing was on his mind now, one thought overpowering any scrap of logic or reason he had left.

"Melody..." He gasped breathlessly as he stepped forward, growing closer to the portal, his feet shuffling along the ground strewn with metal. The others called for him to come back but he continued, inching closer and closer to the glowing white light. From behind him, Tom's voice rang out, his pitch more alarmed now, finally catching Michael's attention. From the side of the aisle came a fist that struck his chest, forcing him to the ground as he felt another hand clamp onto his neck. Pain shot through him as he gasped for breath, his windpipe crushed and the man above him staring down with a manic look in his eye. He pulled Michaels head up and slammed it back down, applying even more pressure to his neck. Michaels head rang with pain as he looked back upon the glowing portal just metres away from him, arms stretching uselessly as if to catch hold of it. The thought grew stronger in his mind as he began to claw at Sting's hands, his strength no match for the solid arms that were slowly choking the life from him. With a final reach towards the portal to freedom, his hand fell to the floor. But his hand struck something hard. In his dazed state he couldn't tell what it was, but the thoughts in his head screamed at him, making him grip the cool object tightly. Melody, her name in his mind grew louder, chanting it and focusing on it, all his anger and determination finally breaking free as he drove the object upwards. The pressure on his neck ceased, Sting's hands still clasped around it but with no force behind them. Michael looked up at his hand, feeling liquid warmth spread down his arm. He saw a large shard of metal, embedded in the centre of Sting's chest through the gap in the vest he wore, held in his hand. Michael jerked his arm, making Sting shudder as the shrapnel shifted in his chest before sliding free, warm blood seeping through his dark shirt. With a meek laugh, unbefitting of a man his size, he collapsed to the floor beside Michael. The red blood slowly pooled on the cold floor as Michael slowly moved away, crawling weakly towards the same tantalizing light that had driven him to stab Sting just moments before. He pushed himself up, the world around him becoming dull and muffled to his ears, and with a small grunt, he limped forward. He thought he could hear Will calling from behind him, but he didn't care. He reached out towards the light now only metres away with a blood stained arm, and called her name slowly

"Melody..." He whispered, repeating himself until he was howling with great resolve. With a final push, he lost his footing and fell forwards, the sound of wind rushing up to meet him. A burst of light followed by a great heave at his torso, and he was gone.

The wind howled around him as he was pulled in every direction, his body convulsing in biting cold and writhing in searing heat. The air was robbed from his lungs, drawn into the great void that he raced through, leaving him feeling as if his chest may burst at any moment. Through the great howling around him and the shrieks of pain that were pulled from him, he prayed to whatever being that might listen that he would find her. He didn't care about anything else in that world, and if he would have to tear through hell to get there, then so be it. With a final great cry of her name, he plunged forward to a new world of danger and fire, but knowing, he would find her.


	17. Chapter 17

Gentle warm wind breathed over Michael's cheek, the smell of old wood and ashes filling his nose as he woke. His mind steadily came back to him and he realised what had happened. He slowly turned his head, seeing the great white sphere of light still behind him, staring long and hard as if to convince himself it was real. The portal let out no hiss or dins of noise, but instead sat calmly, only a slight buzzing echoing through the area. Michael looked around him, noticing the smell of ash and old wood. The walls of the room he was in were solid wooden planks, dark and rich in colour, but the darkness seeped through the tops of the planks, soot covering them. Michael's eyes wandered across the wall, gasping slightly as they were drawn to the centre of the room where a huge hole had been roughly blasted through the hardwood, taking up most of the room. He slowly backed away, not caring how deep it was but fearful of falling in. He leaned against the wall, wood cool on his back, and let his mind gather. His heart raced at the prospect of being here, in this new world. This was another chance for him, and a chance he knew he would never get again if he went back on it all now. But where was 'here'? This huge building he sat in was burnt right through, and traces of whatever great blaze that engulfed it were still present. He was surprised that it had not yet collapsed under its own weight. Looking ahead, through the cracks of wood that surrounded him, he saw a dull light on the horizon of a great orange sky and forest which stretched as far as he could see. A faint glimmer caught his eye from afar, being a sea of golden lights in the middle of the darkened forest that surrounded this place. Michael slowly stood and moved towards the gaps in the wall, wood creaking underfoot as he moved, a warm morning's breeze caressing his face. Peering through the cracks, he gasped at how high above the forest he was. He could truly see for miles, from great forest to distant sea, blue waters only a glint on the horizon. It was beautiful, and the old blackened wood creaked as if to agree. Looking back around him, eyes taking in fully the room he was in. A floor of the great tower, walls now glowing in the light of the rising sun, small letters inscribed across the very wood of each plank. Some he could read, others he couldn't, being written in some arcane language. Shuffling around the hole in the middle of the room which threatened to fling him down many floors and into a dark abyss, he moved to one of the panels, reading aloud to himself what was inscribed.

"May the blessed walk free in steps of boundlessness

Human and Pokémon we stand

Together we walk

Unbound in the guidance of the dual guardians"

There was more, but a sound from behind him interrupted him from his recitation. Turning quickly, he saw the portal flaring, sending of bursts of light and small arcs of lightning. The noise rose from a quiet buzzing to a loud crashing, growing louder and filling the tower with its screams. Michael covered his ears, but the noise ceased abruptly only a second after he did so, the portal giving off a large flash and blinding him. Smudges of light swam in his vision as he looked on upon the now silent portal, contently buzzing. His vision cleared soon, the smudges of light slowly dissipating, allowing him to see the shapes that now lay in front of the portal. A man with short fiery hair, holding onto a pile of blue fur, as well as a thinner man with wispy white hair branching out of his balding head. Tom, Layla and Will. He quickly moved over to them, seeing Tom stir and regain his bearing.

"Tom, Tom, are you alright?" Michael asked, trying to help tom to his feet. Tom shrugged Michael off and shakily rose by himself, drawing Layla up with him, who was only now regaining conciseness.

"I'm fine, go check Will" he said after shaking his head a few times to dispel the feeling of light-headedness, dismissing Michael swiftly. Michael didn't object and moved over to Will, who groaned as he was softly shaken awake. His old limbs pushed against the floor, quivering as he pulled himself up, even with Michael's help.

"That was...worse than anything I've ever experienced" Will said, queasiness showing in his voice.

"Are you going to be okay?" Michael asked, Will's face being slightly off colour. He didn't get a chance to answer, falling back to the ground and nearly throwing up. His head swam, a dizzy pain slowing fading as he sat on the ground, trying not to be sick from the feeling in his stomach.

"Where...where are we?" He asked. Michael looked around again, still unsure of where they were. It was an old tower, a crippled survivor of an old and might blaze, but where they were exactly eluded him.

"I don't know" Michael finally answered, shoulders slumping slightly

"Well, that's our first priority then" Tom said, checking over Layla quickly, who repeatedly told him that she was okay. Even as she swayed slightly when she walked, she insisted that she would be fine. Tom turned his eyes back to Michael, stare hard and cold.

"You were stupid" He said "You had to go and run into that portal, and now look where we are' Tom gestured out the cracks of the building. "We're lost, again, with no supplies. We've got even less than before. Christ almighty boy, why couldn't you think for a moment?"

"I don't know" Michael said "But I don't care...This is my only chance now, I could find her again, I could get her back!"

"Michael, we don't know where the fuck we are!" Tom said, voice rising to a shout. Tom didn't usually swear, but he couldn't simply control it now. "We could be halfway across the world from her, and we don't know a damn thing what to do. We have no way of finding her, why didn't you think of that?"

"We have more of a chance! We're close...we could find her if her asked about that girl we both met" Michael said, pleading his chance to find Melody again. He would follow any lead he needed to make sure that he would see her again.

"One girl in an entire country? How many would look like her, eh?" Tom shot back "We're all in this together dammit! You can't drag us along just for your own needs."

"I made a promise!" Michael yelled, anger and regret in his voice, loss tearing at his heart."I told her that we'd fix things, I promised her we'd work everything out!". Michael yelled in anger, turning and walking towards the far side of the room where a small stairwell stood. "Leave if you want, I'm...going to find her, I don't care how". He started down the stairwell, footsteps echoing in the abandoned tower.

Tom stood fuming in place at Michael defiance, eyes unsure of what to do, his anger boiling with no place to go. Will spoke up

"Let him be, Tom" Will said "He's stubborn on this, I think it's justified"

"I lost an entire family, or people close enough, and I didn't go searching for anyone...why should we follow him?" Tom asked irritably. Will rose to his feet again, queasiness gone now, leaving behind only a slight headache.

"You said we're a team, shouldn't we do it anyway?" Will said

"He could need help" Layla said, cornering tom even more in his own statement. "He's lost here, it isn't his own world". He stuttered for a second before sighing in defeat, it was true that he would probably need help here, and the guilt would weight heavy on Tom's heart if something happened. He motioned for them both to follow.

"Fine, come on then, He won't be far anyway" Tom said, walking to the stairwell with Layla and Will in tow.

Michael was already outside by the time they caught up to him, standing on the stone steps of the tower that now loomed above them. He was reading a large bronze tablet set into a great boulder by the entrance, turning to acknowledge them with a slight smile as they approached.

"You're a real bloody nuisance" Tom said, shaking his head as he examined the tablet himself. Michael muttered thanks as he read out the tablet uninterestedly.

"May this Brass Tower stand forever as a testimony to our brothers and sisters, clothed in fur and scale, blessed by the guardians and who are forever by or side" Tom read, the rest of the tablet scribed in some unknown dialectic of symbols, vaguely resembling the Latin alphabet. "This must've been a temple of some sort"

"To who?" Michael asked

"Well judging by what this thing says, some guardians of the land probably" Tom said, knowing the practices well. "Also must've been a symbol of friendship to Pokémon or something, unless there are other creatures in 'fur and scale'"

"It was to the guardian of the seas, Lugia" A voice echoed from above them, telepathic ring resonating in their minds. They all looked up at the tower to see the younger leader perched on an outlying plank high above them. "And to the east is the tower of the guardian of the skies, Ho-oh. Together, they would watch over their brethren, and those humans who chose to become their extended brethren". Without warning, he leapt from the plank, falling fast towards the ground. Michael nearly called after him and readied himself to run and catch the falling elder, but he stopped as the leader slowed in mid air while a dull glow encompassed him, gently stepping onto the stone steps by the time he reached the ground. The aura of blue faded from around him as he straightened up to address them again, smirking slightly at his acrobatic display.

"A symbol of trust. That is why these temples where made"

"Well that's all well and good, but can we forget the temple for a minute and find where we are?" Will said, looking down the path of trees that stretched out, calm blue mist floating in the morning light.

"I do not know where by the human standards, but this area is known for being a few hours from a human city" He answered. Michael was already eager to leave and begin his search in the city, hoping he could find a map of wherever this place was.

"Where are the others?" Layla spoke, noting the absence of the older of the two leaders as well as the Mightyeena that had dutifully accompanied them. The leader's eyes flashed with brief sadness at the recollection.

"I was told to go on alone, after helping the elder to contact the others so that they may make use of this portal quickly" He glanced over to Michael, Tom and Will "He says that he is indebted to you for your help in this matter, and that you are now considered to be allies of our tribe". He turned back to Layla, the pain evident in his voice as he spoke

"Ynsidyr was killed by the blast which the murdering human unleashed, but his body will be brought through when his clan arrives so they may do as they wish. The elder does not blame anyone for his death and is proud that he served until his end" He said, glancing back at Michael, Tom and Will.

"Yin-sid-der..." Michael repeated the name, unaware Pokémon chose names in the wild. He had only caught Layla's name when Tom was asking her if she was okay, and then thought it was a name he had given her. The naming of that wolf, making him into an individual instead of a collective, made his loss much more saddening.

"What happens now?" he asked. The leader waved his hand over the path in front of them.

"Now you may do as you wish" he said "I and Layla shall return to our clans and attempt to resume life, warning others of the threat that lurks unseen". He made to move away but Layla stopped him, a small pleading look in her eyes.

"I wish to stay with them" she said. No one missed the quiet sigh Tom gave after hearing this.

"And why do you wish to forsake your clan position to do this?" the leader asked. Layla's eyes searched for a second, trying to word her answer.

"I feel...that I must help them" She said. "This isn't their world; I will serve them as a guide". The leader eyed her for a moment, analysing what she had said and searching for ulterior motives, but in the end, turned away.

"Very well, I now have no right to stop you now, I shall inform your clan when I locate them" He said, moving towards the forest by the side of the road. He gave a slight wave of his hand as he disappeared into the dark morning forest, giving one last blessing as he left.

"Your minds be clear and your path familiar" He echoed, and then he was gone into the darkness. Not a second after, Michael started down the road, beckoning the rest to follow. They all walked with him in silence, leaving the Brass Tower behind them, along with the gateway to their own world.

The path was silent, even the dirt beneath their feet crumpled quietly, an occasional rolling pebble breaking the silence. This was the time when all was calm. The day dwellers were still resting, and the night stalkers laying down to rest, it was the time in between times. The light changed from a placid blue to a gentle gold that warmed their bodies, and comforted them in this strange new place. Will and Tom had never experienced this place, the forest around them and the path ahead seeming at peace, utterly untouched by smog or noxious chemicals. It was as if the land itself was virgin and fresh. Tom thought that the ground may have well as been laid down by God yesterday, while Will mulled over how the people of this world seemed to keep it so perfectly in line with nature. For Michael it served as a painful reminder of what had happened last time he came to this place, but it filled his heart with renewed vigour that he had not felt in days, knowing that Melody walked somewhere in this land. Layla was content to watch the road and forest pass by. It was not the mountainous landscape she was used to, but it was her kinds own, and she would have explored more, had she had the energy. She felt tired, utterly exhausted and wounded. Her side ached and she felt the dry blood on her brow, flesh stinging under black fur. Every breath brought a burning to her lungs, and every step a stabbing pain to her legs. Her body begged for rest but her mind willed it to push on. It was only after half an hour of travel that she staggered and fell, hitting the ground hard. She struggled to get back up again, arms feeling weak and pain throbbing in her head. Tom gently grabbed her arm and pulled her back up, still holding her when she was on her own feet.

"You're injured" He said sternly

"It's fine" She answered "I can rest when we arrive in the town". She made to continue on but Tom kept her arm in his grip.

"No, look at yourself, you're barely standing" He said, some of his sternness giving way to concern. "We can stop and rest now, it won't cost us anything"

"The town would be better to rest at" She shot back "I can hold on until then"

"You ever heard of a tactical retreat?" He asked almost sarcastically

"What does that mean?" She said sharply, thinking he was mocking her

"Never mind" Tom replied with a sigh, furrowing his brows to relieve some of the tension. "Are you sure you want to keep going?". She was slightly surprised that he had given up on the argument so quickly, but nodded.

"Yes, I can walk"

"No you can't" Tom said wryly. She let out a small cry as Tom bent down and hoisted her onto his back, slinging his arms under her legs. Tom smirked slightly as he started walking, the rest of the group looking on oddly at the now bickering pair.

"I said I can walk" She yelled into his ear, having to link arms around his neck to keep balance. Her chest spike dug slightly into Tom's back, but it was little enough that he continued on without pain.

"You're too tired to walk but if you want to keep going then we'll do that" He said, earning a short growl of embarrassment from her.

"Then let's just stop" she said, trying to go back on the deal and avoid any more embarrassment

"Too late now, we're making time" Tom chuckled now "Just enjoy the view until we hit town"

Layla growled weakly in disagreement, but gave in after a few minutes of travel. To be honest, she enjoyed the break from walking a bit, giving her time to rest while still moving forward. The ache in her lungs and pain in her legs and side dulled now, leaving her with only the feel of exhaustion that dragged at her limbs. As they walked on through the forest, the sun rose higher and sent warmer light down upon them, her fur bristling in the slight breeze and warmed by the sun. Her eyes grew heavy and she laid her head down slightly, allowing a warm darkness to flood her mind, irritated only by the small sounds of the world around her. Tom asked one last question after a while of walking

"I noticed, you're speaking more now" he said "Why is that?"

Layla mumbled something about aura, Tom's voice having pierced through her comfortable haze of near sleep and too tired to give a real answer.

The group fell back into rank as they marched along the path. The town was only meant to be a little while further, and already they could see a few rooftops of the higher buildings above the forest. Tom marched slightly behind the rest, carrying Layla on his back. He certainly wasn't out of shape, but he chose to remain back behind Michael and Will. Michael in front, leading the whole expedition. He wasn't willing to stop for anything right now, even becoming slightly annoyed at the idea of a break by the roadside. His heart longed for the touch of Melody beside him again, but already he could feel a slight part of the space left in his heart had been filled, just by being in the same world that she was. He didn't know how they would find her; he didn't know what she would have done after he was torn from her. He desperately hoped that she had not suffered as much as he had, the guilt of even that being almost too much to bear. He had travelled with Will and Tom, but where would she have gone? Maybe she was still there, waiting by that same spot for the sudden breath of salvation that would bring them together again. Maybe she had waited for days, her heart breaking all the while. But there was that girl they had met, the one who had escaped from the warring factions who enslaved her town. Valerie, the young trainer who cared for the injured Pokémon and the one Melody had tried to protect. For Michael, Will and Tom where the only ones who had kept him going, forcing him along despite his desperate feeling of emptiness weighing him that made him want nothing but to sit until in that field until he turned to stone and eroded away. He prayed that Valerie had done the same, and that Melody would soon be beside him again.

Within a few more minutes, the trees gave way to concrete paths and small houses, spaced gently through the street with plenty of room around them. The houses were all generic duplicates, but the large gardens and grassy yards made them distinguishable. Not much activity was seen around there, the streets barren and deserted. But upon walking further into the town, they caught their first glimpse of people. The houses gave way to shops and larger houses with smaller gardens, a few lone buildings towering above the rest and reaching to the sky. The people of the town milled about their daily business, only eying the group for a second before continuing, but the way they were looked at was with a mixture of curiosity and fear. Most of them were helping with various repair jobs, a scattered mess of blackened patches painted the road and shattered glass was strewn around some parts of the street, but others carried boxes of supplies to and from buildings around the area. Pokémon walked free around the streets too, usually following someone and often helping with the task being carried out. Will asked where they were going, seeing that most of the town looked too busy to take notice of them. Michael wordlessly continued forward, down the grey streets where more Pokémon were helping with odd jobs, spurred on by the drive of their trainers. A small green toad like creature fired a torrent of water from its mouth, washing away a great crimson stain on the asphalt and footpath, which Michael hoped was not what he thought it was. Another Pokémon, a great muscled and four armed brute of a creature, carried huge iron girders in its arms, the trainer walking next to it and carrying a few planks of timber. Will was mesmerized by the creatures walking about, trying his best to hide the excitement he felt from likely being one of the first scientists who had ever travelled to another dimension. He nearly fell over at the sight of the Pokémon centre, a few large tents pitched around it with a multitude of small pink oval shaped Pokémon hurrying about the area, all calling to each other and co-ordinating their efforts. From their calls, he guessed they were called 'Chansey's'. Michael strode towards the centre. If there was anywhere to get some information, it would likely be there. They all worked their way through the bustling Chanseys and to the glass doors, a large crack running through one of them. When he entered, he found the floor to be strewn with mattresses and backpacks, serving as a makeshift sleeping area. Only two people were present, a man lying on a mattress with his arm in a sling and a long brown haired nurse looking through cabinets behind the counter. Michael approached the desk, the injured man glancing curiously at Tom, who still carried Layla.

"Excuse me" He said, the nurse turning to greet him with a flustered smile

"I'm sorry, we can't spare anymore room sir" She said, indicating the clustered lobby "Everyone's already three to a room and the rest are out here. But I can give you some blankets, it's not much" Michael was about to speak, but Tom interrupted him.

"Thank you ma'am. That would help" He said. She looked over him to Layla, concern on her face for the Pokémon.

"Is your Pokémon hurt?"

"Well, she says that she's not" Tom chuckled, concern echoing in his voice as well "But could you please help her somehow?"

Tom gently lowered Layla, who sat wearily on the counter as the nurse looked over her. She looked over Layla, occasionally poking a spot or parting her fur to search for hidden cuts. When she prodded Layla's leg, she let out a small whine, whimpering slightly as the nurse felt around the leg. Will was amusing himself a computer terminal set into a wall, looking over the screen and deftly tapping the keys, eyes wide with the newfound knowledge was accessed. Michael waited slightly impatiently, trying to remember the name of the town which Valerie had said was close by when they had met. He needed to know where it was and how to get there, but he also needed information to try and find Valerie in the first place. The nurse's voice jarred him from his thoughts just as the name snapped into his mind.

"She's very exhausted and she's got a cut on her face just above her eye" The nurse said, turning and gathering opening the glass cabinet behind the desk, filled with medical bottles. "She might have a fractured leg, but it's better to be safe and keep her from walking for a while. What's she been eating?"

"Mostly canned food, we haven't had a chance to get anything proper for ourselves yet" Tom explained, stomach panging slightly when he thought of the packaged meat they had left behind. It would've been a treat for all of them. The nursed grabbed a small packet from a lower cabinet and handed all of the things to Tom. She pointed to each bottle as she explained what it was for.

"That's a disinfectant, just put it on her cuts, and make sure to get to the skin through the fur. That's to help with sleep, it's a relaxant, and it'll also help with her leg." She then pointed to the small foil package she had given him. "She may not like that flavour, it's just standard Pokémon food, but it's all we have right now and it can be given to any Pokémon".

"Thanks" tom said gratefully, slightly dreaded the next question "What will it cost?"

"It's free, right now everything is" She shrugged "We're still helping injured people, so we can't really charge them". Tom sighed in relief, knowing that other things they need may cost currency they didn't have, or even understand. Michael pushed through and asked the nurse

"How far is it to Mauville city?". The nurse looked at him, confusion of her face and looking like he had asked an exceptionally stupid question. She slowly replied

"Mauville is in Hoenn" She said, Michael nodded slightly.

"Yes, I know" he said. The nurse took her time to answer.

"Well...if you take the ferry, it's about 16 hours, but the ferry goes from Olivine city. That's about three days walk from here...but if you've got a water type Pokémon that's big enough, it'll take a day or so to get there by sea" She said. Michael's head swam, where was he? Wasn't he in Hoenn? Knew he would sound even stupider for the next question.

"Which...ah, which region is this?"

"Johto" the nurse answered, looking at him oddly. "Are you feeling okay?". Michael steadied himself as he answered, shaking slightly as he realised how far he had to go.

"Yes...I'm just tired, we all are" He said "We came from some old tower outside the city; it's been a long walk"

"You were at the burned tower?" She asked "What were you doing there? It's not safe"

"Just looking for someone..." Michael said, moving away from the desk, leaving the nurse bewildered. Tom gave her a quick assuring answer as he followed.

"Really, the lad's just tired after all that's happened". The nurse smiled wearily.

"We all are, I guess."

Tom followed Michael, who had sat down on one of the benches, blanket draped over it. Will was still tapping on the computer a short distance away. Layla was rested on one of the blanketed mattresses lining the floor, not caring who it belonged to. They both sat there in silence for a few minutes, Tom finally breaking the silence with a question.

"So we're in the wrong place?" he asked. Michael meekly nodded. "Just how wrong a place?"

"We're in a whole different region" Michael said, head in hands. "Hoenn is the region we went to before, but I don't even know what this Johto region is like". Will had been listening in and called to them.

"Well, where was it you wanted to go?" He asked

"Mauville, it's in the middle of Hoenn" He replied, muttering "far away from here..."

"She said something about a ferry, didn't she?" Tom inquired, trying to raise Michael's sudden lack of morale.

"It's meant to go from...ah, where was it?" Michael tried to remember the obscure name.

"Olivine?" Will called again, turning away from the screen for only a second.

"Yeah...that's it, Olivine" Michael answered

"Well, then shouldn't we head there?" Tom said "We might not have money, but there are other ways of getting on board". Michael gave a small smile at Tom's devious nature.

"I hope it doesn't involve explosives like your past escape plan did"

"You still sore about that?" Tom said, mock hurt in his voice

"No...But what would we do? Hide in some crates for sixteen hours and hope we aren't discovered?" Michael rubbed his tired face, the fatigue of being awake for an entire night setting in. Tom somehow dispelled it; his previous nights of sleeplessness having hardened him at this point. He gently put a hand on Michaels shoulder

"Lad, let's just worry about that when we get there" He said, Michael was unaccustomed to optimism from the man...or maybe it was hopelessness? "We can head out to the city and then find a way from there"

"We don't even know where it is. I know Hoenn roughly, but this..." Michael sighed "We might as well have been dropped in a maze". A small mechanical screeching made both of them look to Will, where the computer was humming, mechanisms turning roughly throughout the box. With a small buzz, Will snatched a sheet of paper from a small slot below and waltzed up to them, a smug grin on his face.

"South from Ecruteak city and along route 38 for roughly 120 kilometres, with a small public resting house half way apparently, then east down route 39 after we hit a small group of houses, one of which is another rest house, for about 60 kilometres and we'll be at Olivine." He looked up from the sheet to admire their looks of confusion and astonishment.

"How did you figure that out?" Michael asked. Will tapped his glasses, and gave a knowing smile.

"Just ran the names through a few searches on that computer and found the directions" He said "Simple enough". They moved to the terminal Will had been using to see he had pulled up various pages on information on the places he had mentioned. Pictures, directions and information on the towns were there in full. Behind that was a page of an encyclopaedia with information on Lucario, Gardevoir and other Pokémon they had seen around, displaying information of physiology and behaviour. Tom smiled back, clapping Will on the back.

"You bloody brilliant bastard, for once your damn curiosity worked for us" He said, Will slightly unamused at the disregard for his scientific nature. Michael was looking over the pages Will had open, staring soberly at one picture of a Gardevoir, photographed next to a trainer. Somehow, despite the identical appearance, he could tell it wasn't Melody. Subtle things were different, but it wasn't her, and that made him long to see her even more. He straightened by and turned back to Tom and Will, renewed purpose in his voice.

"Let's go then" He said "It'll be a day of walking to get halfway, so let's start now". Will quickly tried to print off some more from the encyclopaedia, only getting a few pages of information on the Lucario species before he was dragged from the terminal.

Tom wrapped the medication and food up in a blanket, making a makeshift rucksack then hefted Layla onto his back again, with her giving significantly less complaint this time and instead choosing to continue to doze silently. They made their way from the centre with the meagre supplies they had picked up, and wandered through the streets, still bustling with people too busy to notice them. It wasn't a large city, but they did manage to become lost once, being forced to ask directions from one of the locals. Within twenty minutes the roads gave way to a wide dirt path, trees lining the road adorned with small shrubs at their feet. There were a few scattered houses, and eventually a checkpoint building. But a man dressed in what Michael could only guess was police attire directed them around it, a large and smouldering hole present in the side of the concrete wall of the building. Will mused aloud that the cities must have very strict limits, as immediately after the checkpoint building the road became surrounded by untamed forests and fields. Ahead of them, gently sloping hills could be seen, grass green and waving the in wind, along with dense patches of trees to surround them. The sky was clear and bright, a great expanse of blue that stretched to the horizon with only a few long clouds hanging in the air. The view, Michael thought, was a masterpiece. They began on their long walk down the dirt road, the peaceful whistling and chirping of birds being a serenading them.

They had walked for only ten minutes before fatigue hit them all. They had entered this world late at night, but were greeted by the rising sun. Their bodies ached for rest after the events that had transpired only a few hours ago, and they were soon forced to stop. By the side of the road, they sat, and waited for their strength to return. But when it did not, they moved slightly into the trees, only a few feet from the road beneath the shadows of the rustling leaves above them. Tom spread one of the blankets on the ground and laid Layla on it, who was still somehow awake, but her eyes were half lidded and it took some effort for her to prop herself up on her elbows.

"Where are we now?" She asked sleepily

"We just stopped to rest, we're all tired as you" Tom said

"I'm not..." Layla stopped and yawned, rolling her eyes slightly "Fine...I'm tired". Tom chuckled gently.

"You finally admit it..." He said, fetching the some of the medicine he had stashed in a rolled up blanket. He popped the lid off, nose wrinkling at the strong alcoholic scent in the disinfectant. Layla would have protested when he parted her fur to dab at the wounds, but she was too tired to care, the stinging of the medicine hardly registering in her mind. She was slightly embarrassed when he treated the cuts on her waist and legs, but it passed soon enough as Tom worked quickly. She was about to lie down again when he handed her a small red pill, she took it giving him a look of confusion.

"It's to help you sleep, and it'll take the pain off your legs" He explained "Swallow it, just don't bite down on it". She looked at the pill apprehensively, but decided it was for the best and took it anyway. She gagged slightly as the hard lump nearly caught in her throat, Tom laughing it off.

"Perhaps with some water next time" He said, letting her lay down again. She muttered thanks a she finally drifted into sleep. Tom spread out another blanket beside Layla's and laid himself down, sleep coming easy in knowing that there was little to threaten them here, and knowing that Layla would be okay. His last thought was about how odd that sounded.

Michael had sat down in the cool shade, his back against a tree. He watched Tom tend to Layla, the scene being familiar to him. For a brief moment it was as if he was watching himself as Tom worked, but the warm scene he saw returned to the two in an instant and he was once again left with a feeling of disillusionment. He smiled softly at the scene, not knowing if Tom was feeling what he had felt before, but the care showed through the cracks in him. Soon, the spectacle ended as they both lay down and fell into sleep, Michael leaning his head back against the rough wood as he lost interest. The air was pleasantly warm, and it took all his strength to grab a blanket and throw it over himself before the heat nursed him into sleep. The world faded slowly as he closed his eyes, the droplets of light dancing in his vision from through the leaves before the black.

It didn't take long for him to arrive in that familiar place again, the place of darkness and smudged visions, where his mind was as heavy as lead and his body numb to all. But something was different this time. His mind quickly snapped forward, his lucidity returning in an instant. He shifted his body, finding the weight gone, but still floating in the void. Without warning, a flash of light blinded him, more intense than anything else he had seen. He covered his eyes as spots swam in from of them, waiting until the light had dimmed. He slowly removed his hands, staring into the now glowing panel of light that stood before him in the blackness. He reached out to touch it, but before he could, it glowed bright again and expanded. The light filled his vision and spread around him, soon caging him completely in a void of white. As quick as he realised what had happened, the light faded, not into black as he expected, but into a dreamy scene of green and browns. He soon realised what he was seeing, a field with a great blue sky above, reaching to the gentle hills on the horizon. His feet touched solid ground, giving him a small shock as he landed and wobbled on his feet. Michael looked around, feet shuffling in the dirt as he tried to figure out what was happening. He was on a narrow dirt path dug through a field of long swaying grass, the wind blowing over his body, cool and crisp. He snapped his head around as he heard a shuffling near him. He saw a small brown figure running through the grass, skipping past him in only a second, taking no notice of him. Badger like and coated in brown and tan striped fur, its name whispered from his mouth.

"Zigzagoon?" he said, only remembering the name from the silliness of it. He knew that Pokémon, it was the one that always appeared in fields when he had played the old game. It was from Hoenn. He laughed loudly when he realised where he was.

"Hoenn!" He yelled, laughing loudly into the sky with his hands raised. He was brought down from the high as he heard another sound, this time from in front of him. He looked down and along the path, seeing two figures walking slowly towards him. He soon heard their voices, one young and soft, the other musical. His eyes widened as he made out their forms, a young girl and a Gardevoir walking beside each other. He ran to them, feeling as if they would slip away at any moment. The grass whipped his legs as he ran, calling out to the two.

"Melody!" He yelled "Valerie!". They didn't hear him, taking no notice as he approached. HE slowed down and grabbed Melody tightly, but his joy drained when his arms did nothing but phase through her. He turned back as he fell to the ground, feeling no pain as he hit the ground, his arm landing awkwardly. He pushed himself up and started after the two, trying to grab them but failing as his arms passed through their forms every time. He slowly gave up, his grabs becoming weak as his resolve left him. But his ears picked up on their voices again, talking as they walked, oblivious to him.

"-plently of money for the next few days, we'll get some proper food soon" Valerie said, short cut brown hair blowing in the wind. She no longer wore the ripped attire she had when he had met her, but now was dressed in a dull blue singlet covered by a coat three sizes too big and complimented by equally large cargo pants. Her feet were covered with old gray running shoes and mismatched socks. She carried a small duffel bag over her shoulder, filled with unknown items that clunked with every step.

"That would be nice" Melody answered, Michael sighing deeply as he heard her voice once more. He had missed the soft melodic tune that her voice carried when she spoke, sounding sweeter than anything in the world now. She looked slightly worn out, her white dress smudged with dirt in some areas, the grass depositing small dew drops which ran down it and onto the dirt, leaving a grey ring around the edges. She hesitated slightly, her voice quivering as she spoke.

"...I dreamed again last night" She said. Valerie gave a concerned look, her expression telling that she know how serious this was to Melody.

"What was it of this time?" She asked, voice gentle, trying to calm Melody.

"I don't know..." Melody replied hopelessly "I never know, it's all just a blur when it happens, and until I wake up, I can't think straight..."

"Can you see...anything?" Valerie asked

"Nothing is clear...but maybe..." She began, Valerie stopped and gingerly put a hand on Melody's shoulder.

"I know" She said "I know you miss him but I told you, we might find him sometime..."

"I don't know..." Melody said sadly, voice breaking and tears brimming in her eyes "I really don't know...". Valerie drew her into a short hug, speaking softly.

"It'll be okay Melody, it's just us two for now, but we'll try to find him" She said, her voice showing the true sadness she felt for what had happened. "He'll be looking for you too; just hold on until you meet again..."

Michael slowly reached out again, so desperate to hold her and tell her they'd be fine and he'd never leave again. But the scene faded slowly, inching away from him as he called out brokenly.

"Please...just wait..." he sobbed gently, see a final smile creep onto Melody's face as she disappeared along with the field of green and blue. The next scene rushed by a, flash of light that left a memory imprinted on his mind. More scenes flashed by faster than he could count, but each staying with him in his mind. Melody sitting in the forest, head buried in her hands, crying out his name as two bodies lay dead behind her. She was screaming for him to come back, her sobs echoing through the forest. He saw Melody walking with Valerie, pure sorrow etched on her face as Valerie helped her along the road, her own legs unable to support her in her grief. He saw them in Mauvile, sitting with other refugees from the overthrown towns, wrapped in blankets and eating bowls of rationed stew. They travelled far, across a small ocean expanse and through tall reeds in muddy lands. The sun shone on muddy puddles across a sodden grassy ground as the two walked on. He saw Melody as she woke up sobbing, the dreams haunting her, holding a hand to her head as Valerie held her in the dark and assured her it was only a dream. And as quick as these visions came, they were gone. He was again in darkness, and again, alone.

He awoke with a start, something striking his head hard. He looked around, darkness obscuring his vision, beads of light dripping through the gaps in the leaves of the trees. The ground around him was cool and slightly wet, the air heavy with the smell of earth. Slowly his eyes adjusted to the darkness, revealing the campground scene to him. To his right, Will was lying on a blanket near a felled log, papers scattered around him. And in front of him, Tom and Layla slept quietly. Layla had managed to inch onto Tom's blanket during the night and now lay beside him, her blue fur almost white in the pale moonlight as she slept curled into a ball. Tom didn't seem to mind sharing the warmth, which made Michael feel all the colder as he pulled his blanket closer to him. The night wind whispered gently through the trees and brought with it a soft chill, as well as the scent of old wood. Michael's hand bumped something as he shifted and he looked down to see a large acorn held in his blanket. It was nearly the size of his fist, its shell clearly blue in the moonlight. Michael looked up into the tree, seeing a few more like it. It must've woken him when it fell. He placed it beside him, hoping it was in some way edible, and wrapped himself in the large blanket, trying to fall sleep again.

But he was awoken only an hour later, Tom shaking him gently. Michael looked at him tiredly, seeing he was already packed, rucksack fashioned from a blanket slung over his shoulder. Layla stood behind him, looking equally tired.

"We should be going now" he said. Michael grunted as he got up, seeing the moon still high in the sky.

"Isn't it a little late?" Michael asked

"We've been asleep for nearly twelve hours, Michael. We would've woken up early anyway" He said "In fact, Will was the first to wake up, woke me up too". Michael looked over to see Will standing with his own blanket rolled under his arm, yawning as he waited for them. Michael sluggishly gathered his own blanket, the damp from the ground clinging to his clothes. He spied the large acorn and pocketed it, reaching to take a few more from the tree while he was there. Layla was still injured and swaying on her feet, the medication doing its work and numbing the pain in her legs, which, unfortunately, made her nearly unable to walk. She clambered onto Tom's back, not caring any more now and thankful that she was able to sleep while the rest walked on, despite how useless it made her feel. They all started off, back onto the dirt road, illuminated by the bright moon shining down on it. Michael looked on as they walked, the light dancing over the serene landscape, forming pools of silver water upon glistening grass fields. It was beautiful, and if this was the perfect world he could inhabit, he wouldn't care if he was the last man on the planet. But Melody would be there too, and when he found her, they could share these graceful moonlit nights, all alone in the warmth of the midnight sun.


	18. Chapter 18

For the rest of the day, they walked along dusty roads, interspaced with the occasional field of untamed wild grass. Although Pokémon were seen along the way, few were hostile, he worse being a particularly irate Raticate, who glared and chattered angry at them as they passed. The forest around them changed and matured as they continued deeper down the road, trees becoming larger and denser, forming large areas where the canopy covered the trail, forming a cool shade and letting spots of light wisp along the ground. Layla attempted to walk part of the way, but the numbness in her legs made her stumble and fall often. Tom remarked how they had gotten a few laughs out of it at least. Layla wasn't too amused and rode on Tom's back for the rest of the journey. Will seemed intent on looking over the acorns Michael had picked up, commenting on how it should be impossible for them to be such a colour, shape and size. Much of what he said was unintelligible jargon and scientific terms, causing the others to tune out as the old scientist rambled on. By the time the sun had begun to set, the trees had thinned and the path had become uniform once again, allowing the group to again see far into the horizon. The final rays of light cascaded over the land as the sun disappeared behind the boundless forest in the distance, allowing darkness to slowly claim the land once more. But as they walked through the darkening land, a pinpoint of light ahead of them broke into vision. The light shimmered as it suddenly ignited, sitting above the left of the path as a beacon to guide them. They picked up their pace, eager to see who or what had sparked the light, and if they would be of any help. Michael hoped it was another trainer who could help with the journey, Will hoped it was some kind of exotic creature, while Tom was cautious of it and squinted as he tried to see the source more clearly. When they were within only a short distance from the light, they realised what it was.

"It's pretty far into the forest for someone to be living here" Tom said, looking over the house which stood on the side of the road, light flickering above the doorstep.

"We could ask if they're able to put us up for the night" Michael suggested. None of them would prefer to sleep outside in the cold. Will looked over the door to see a sign nailed to the front of the building, glare from the light shielding it from view.

"It's that rest house I said was halfway, see?" He said, pointing to the sign above the door.

"I have a hard time believing that people are so easily charitable" Tom grunted "Who'd just let people stay the night in their home like that?"

"Well, let's find out" Will said, stepping forward and giving three solid raps on the door. A few seconds later they heard a loud barking. Something behind the door scratched at the wood, barking loudly and running around. Will stepped back a bit, wondering if the owner had some sort of guard dog. They heard a muffled call from behind the door and the barking stopped, shuffled steps coming forward and sliding the latch on the door open. The door opened slightly and someone peaked out, looking over the group as the barking started again.

"Oh shush you; you'll wake everything in the forest" the voice said, old and kind in its inflection. The door shut again for a second before it was reopened, revealing an old woman dressed in a large apron, arms of her pale green blouse rolled up. She smiled at them warmly.

"More trainers I see? Sorry about little Allister there, he gets excited when new people arrive" She said. A small red fox like creature ran out from behind her and started to circle around the group, yipping happily. Six curled tails trailed behind it as it ran. The old lady laughed at the little Pokémon's mirth.

"Well come in, don't want to stand out there in the cold do you?" She said, guiding into the house. The inside was large and open, a few couches sat against the wall and a pile of mattresses lay stacked in a corner. A large fireplace blazed near the end of the house, and in front of it, one lone trainer sprawled over a mattress. A belt lay at the side of his mattress, several balls clipped to it, all sporting a different pattern or colour. The old woman motioned to the mattresses in the corner.

"Take a bed, I'll bring some food out to you in a little while" She said, moving through a side door, the young fox creature following her. The smell of spices and broth wafted from the door as it swung closed, making the group suddenly extraordinarily hungry.

Despite their hunger, they wearily grabbed at their mattresses, pulling the masses of cloth across the floor. Tom set two up side by side near the fireplace, Will and Michael laying theirs as close as they could to the warming blaze. Layla was thankful to get off Toms back, feeling cramped and sore from having to be carried all the way. She winced as she stepped onto the ground, pangs of pain shooting up her leg, the medication thankfully numbing the brunt of it. She was temped to ease her boredom and challenge Tom to sparring match, but her leg and body protested, leaving her to simply sit on the mattress and rest even more. She was growing annoyed by all the sitting around she was forced to do. She wanted to walk with everyone else, to spar with Tom when they camped and to help gather anything needed. She hated being disabled, just like the gatherers back in her tribe who could not fight or hunt, and were made to gather fruits and watch over young Riolu's. Every one of those gatherers had a look of pain in their eye, knowing they could never fight to defend the tribe and always having to be looked after by more able bodied members. To her people there was no shame in growing old and having your body degrade to the point of uselessness, but to have it thrust upon you in your prime was the worst punishment short of death. She and the others looked up as they heard a door swing open, seeing the old woman enter, carrying in her arms a large steel pot, the little fox running between her legs.

"Suppers on" She called, handing putting the pot on a table and dishing out bowls of hot, steaming stew to all of them. The smell was amazing to them, who had eaten nothing but fruits and canned food for so long, the smell of stewed meat and spices filling their noses.

They eagerly ate the meal, allowing the sweet broth and tender meat to wash away their hunger. Layla perked up immediately as she began to eat, finally tasting the sweet tang of meat once again. The old lady smiled and moved to one of the couches nearby.

"Don't be afraid to take seconds" She said, the little fox jumping onto her lap and curling into a small ball of red fur.

The group did take seconds, and thirds, as they savoured the delicious meal. By the time they were finished, the pot was nearly empty and they were all sitting contently on their beds. Layla said sat next to Tom, leaning slightly on him without intent. The food had helped calm her and she now felt vaguely tired, but she didn't bother to push away, it was too comfortable for that. The old woman looked over the two, curiosity in her aged face.

"That's a rare Pokémon" she commented "Haven't seen any around these parts, even with trainers"

"Well, she kind of dropped in on us all" Tom said

"So you got her from someone else?" she asked "That's how I got little Allister here" She gently scratched the fox behind the ears "Ah, my son sent him to me after his father died, named him after him. He's touring Kanto right now, Vulpix are common there"

"Oh, no, she just started travelling with us after we helped her" Tom said, naturally lying. "We stopped some…poachers from getting her". Layla grunted in annoyance, she could easy fend off any poacher.

"Poachers? Oh, they must have been trying to catch her to sell" She said "There's a lot of that going on right now…Viridian is having trouble keeping everything in order"

"What's happening in Viridian?" Michael asked, having been listening in.

"You know all those strange things that have been opening around the world? Oh what were they called…well, a big one opened above viridian, the whole city is in an uproar" She explained "No one knows what's causing them, but some people have been disappearing into them and never coming back out. Some came out, but they act like they've never seen the place before. Why? Are you heading there?"

"No, we're going to Hoenn" Michael said, seeing the concern crossing the old woman's face.

"Oh Hoenn, that poor region has been hit bad" She said sadly "Some of my friends are trying to get out…"

"What's happened?" Michael asked, he knew only what Valerie had told him before, but nothing of what else had been happening.

"A group of criminal groups managed to get control of half of it in the chaos, they're trying to enslave everyone apparently. We're lucky here, we didn't have too much happen, and we try to continue our lives and live happily". She looked down at the Vulpix, now asleep in her lap. "Have you got family there?"

"You…could say that" Michael answered slowly, trying to change the subject "Is the ferry still running from Olivine?"

"Oh yes, but not many bother taking it now. They're saying they might shut it down soon, if Hoenn keeps getting worse" She said. Michaels worry was evident in his look, his mind desperately trying to figure out how they could get there quick enough. He needed to get there; if he couldn't…he didn't know what he would do. His worry grew with each day that something might have happened to Melody or Valerie. The old woman saw Michaels worry; wizened eyes knowing such pain came from few things.

"Why do you need to go?" she asked gently "What's troubling you?"

"I need to…find someone there" He answered

"Ah, is this someone a girl?" Her unnerving glare pierced his eyes, before she began laughing jubilantly. "She is, isn't she? Ah, young man, you can't hide much from this woman of the world. I'll have you know I toured the regions as a youth, but that's not important. What's she like?"

Michael was hesitant in his answer.

"She was…beautiful. Fine green hair…" He began

"Green? Now that's an odd colour. Why youth colour their hair like that I'll never know" She said

"She had these…deep red eyes that always had a warm glow to them..." He continued "her skin was pale, but the sun made her glow like an angel…and her voice was…ah, she sounded like she was always singing when she spoke" Tom gave him an odd look, wondering if he was going to come clean about the whole thing, and if they were going to put outside because of it.

"She was small, but strong, she could lift me above her head, if she wanted to". The old woman laughed at this. "And she always wore this…flowing white dress, with to two green sleeves, clasped at the middle by a large red broach…" Michael hung his head as he finished wistfully. "She was perfect…"

The old woman was silent for a while before asking another question

"And, what happened? Were you two in different regions?" She asked

"Yes, we meant to stay together but…we got separated. I was a million miles away from her…I thought I'd never find her again" Michael said, heartbreak tearing in his chest. "Tom and Will helped us when we were together, now they're helping me find her again…we all didn't have much of a choice of ravelling together". The old woman looked over the young man and the group, wondering if she could gift these people in any way for the troubles they had been through. She slowly petted the sleeping Vulpix, who murmured softly and twitched his ears.

"Ah, to be young and full of energy again" She said facing the group. "Well, this girl sounds very odd to me…but you're really in love with her, aren't you?"

"The boys travelled very, very far to get here, convinced us to come along too" Will said "From what I've seen, he'd do almost anything to see this thing through". The old woman smiled, recalling her own days of travel and determination.

"Well, I can't stop them from closing the ferry, but I can help you get there in time hopefully" She said, picking up the Vulpix in her arms and standing, hearing her old bone's crack into place. "I can drive you to the next rest house, it's owned by a young couple who might be a bit more up to date than me, and it'll save you another day's walk". She walked to the staircase next to the kitchen.

"In the morning we'll leave as son as you're ready, I can afford to leave this place for a few hours" She said from the doorway. Michael smiled thankfully, feeling a lump catch in his throat.

"Thank you, miss"

"Oh pish posh, call me Bertha" She said, making her way up the stairs.

"Thanks, Bertha…" Michael said quietly.

They were left in silence once more, only the soft crackling of the fire breaking the silence, warming the room with its ambience. Layla was nodding off, feeling the sudden effects of the medicine she had taken, the hot meal had helped too. If she hadn't been leaning on Tom, she would have fell onto the mattress and slept easily, but right now she was too comfortable to move, her mind clinging to the warm embracing haze. Tom nudged her slightly, sighing and laying her down on the bed when she didn't respond, laying a blanket over her.

"You care for her, don't you?" Will asked, lying down on his own mattress. Tom gave him an odd look.

"How do you figure that?" Tom asked

"Well, you carry her, you sleep near her, you nearly killed yourself trying to shield her from that grenade" Will said

"She's injured, she couldn't walk even though she wants to…frankly she hates me carrying her" Tom replied, lay down on his own mattress.

"She looks content enough when I see her" Will said "She doesn't seem to mind at all"

"Well, she just ends up falling asleep near me when she's tired, that nurse said the medication would make her drowsy" Tom defended.

"Why place your bed next to hers, then?" Will asked, wily gleam in his eye

"Why not? It's easier than moving it away" Tom retorted "And I tried to save her because…who wouldn't?"

"What happened to the survival of the fittest attitude?" Will smirked "Before, you'd never have tried to save someone like that…you'd die, and you're the best survivalist we've got"

"I…She's company" Tom said lowly "She's the only one I can get some entertainment out of. I missed sparring with someone, its fun"

"That's how it started" Will said "As soon as she dropped in, you forgot all about those midnight watches and staying up all night, trying to shoot the sky out from above you"

"Those spars take a lot out of you" Tom argued, voice defensive in his position "I figured we'd be safe enough now"

"'Safe enough', you'd never had said that isolated farm house safe enough" Will laughed "And now you can sleep easily on the side of the road, where anyone could come along"

"Okay, fine, I care about her. I care about you lot too" Tom grunted "No more, no less"

"She'd beg to differ" Will said, pointing down. Layla had shifted in her sleep, and was now resting her head on Tom's shoulder. Tom's arm had found its way around her back, holding her gently by the shoulder. Tom stuttered slightly, refusing to remove his arm. He glared at Will, who was smirking triumphantly.

"Oh shut up, you old bastard" He said, laying his head back and pulling the blanket closer to him. Layla shifted again, head lying awkwardly close to Tom's.

"Oh come on, its normal compared to anything else in this damn place…" Will muttered, turning over to go to sleep.

Michael had been listening to the whole exchange, eyes closed and feigning sleep in his own corner of the house. His heart ached as he heard every admission, the dull feeling of nostalgia filling his mind. All through the day he had been waiting for the moment he could just lay down, fall into a deep sleep…and dream,

"Goddammit…" He mumbled brokenly as his eye's closed, and the darkness came again.

The void stretched out in front of him, as he had come to expect by now. Four dreams he had experienced and four times he had been here, floating in the sea of black, but only once had he seen anything. What he had seen now made him long to see it again. He longed to see Melody, Valerie, and all the things he had missed. He didn't know what he was seeing, or why he was seeing them, but he welcomed it. The void soon vanished in a great flash of light as the show began. This time instead of a great field of tall grass and narrow dirt paths, but a clearing in a great forest, his feet touching wet grass. The sun was setting on the horizon, obscured by the great canopy of trees around him. He looked to his left and saw something he wouldn't have guessed he'd see out here. A red roofed building, grey concrete walls dull in the light, broken in the centre by a glass door. He law a white, stylised pokeball painted on the front of the red roof, the mark of a Pokémon centre. He wondered why one would be here, in the middle of a forest, until his gaze wandered up. He gasped as he saw the treetops, huge wooden planks interconnecting equally huge houses, all nestled high above the mighty forest. Down the thick trunk of a nearby tree, planks of wood were nailed as a makeshift ladder into the canopy above. Next to them was a thick cable and harness with a sign next to them, detailing their use to safely scale the tree. Michael knew this was a dream, and that he couldn't be harmed, but he still tightened the harness around his legs. It gave him a feeling of safety as he climbed the towering tree, the Pokémon centre below becoming smaller and smaller as he made his way up. He grasped the ledge and heaved himself onto a platform, head spinning as he glanced back to see how high he was. As he stood, he caught sight of the view from the treetops. A blazing panorama of green forest and orange sky greeted him, fading into a deep purple haze in the distance. Tearing his eyes from the view, a sign next to the ladder greeted him.

"Welcome to Treefort city, a place in harmony with the wild" it read. A small map under it marked out locations of a pokemart, a gym and various accommodations. He found a marking labelled "Pokémon centre lodge", deciding it would be the best place to look for Melody and Valerie; no doubt they were close by.

The view still amazed him as he walked over the bridges, connecting the tree houses, enhanced by the smoke drifting from the chimneys concealed above the leaves. He wondered if this world would ever cease to amaze him with its beauty.

He arrived at the lodge soon, a huge tree supporting a multi-floored hut winding down the tree. He invited himself in, but found no people in the lobby, instead finding something much more strange. Shadows wandered the floor, grey smudges in the world, making their way about their own business. One tall one and one short one were using a terminal in the corner, while another was sitting quietly in a seat, and another standing and talking with a familiar. As he made his way past the reception, Michael noticed that the shadows repeated themselves, performing actions over and over in a constant loop. They were intangible, as Michael found out when he bumped into one in the hallway, phasing through it seamlessly. He descended a flight of stairs at the end of the lobby hallway, and immerged into a great hall, many more shadows mulling around, some more defined than others. The scent in the air met his nose, the smell of hot food, meats and vegetables roasting. It was a cafeteria, with stainless steel serving trays across the hall, Pokémon food set to the side with small bowls for serving.

As his eyes scanned the hall, he saw them, two figures defined and colourful in the wash of grey silhouettes. Melody and Valerie sat the end of a table, eating their own meals. Michael rushed over to them, his run slowing to a cautious gait as they didn't acknowledge his presence. He tentatively reached out his hand towards Melody's arm, unsurprised but saddened when it phased through.

"Just like the other times…" he muttered as he hung his head.

"I dreamed again last night"

Michaels head jerked up when he heard Melody's voice. But this time was different. She held little sadness in the phrase, the words coming out almost happily and longingly. Valerie looked over from her meal of pasta and tomato, her face holding the same concern as before. Melody looked over and smiled as she spoke again.

"I saw him here…in town with the others" she said, Valerie granting her a look of confusion and doubt.

"You mean here? In Fortree?" she asked

"No, but…he stopped at a Pokémon centre and asked where he was…he was told Johto" She said, her face searching for a second before asking "Where is that?"

"Johto? It's east of Lilycove, across the ocean" She said, Melody smiled wider at this.

"He was looking for me…he and the others left town…there was a Lucario travelling with them…Tom called her Layla" She said "But I woke up before I could follow them…"

"So you were there?" Valerie asked "Why didn't you talk to him?"

"He didn't hear me" She said solemnly "No one heard me, no one even saw me…" She smiled sadly as she looked over to Valerie "They were the only one's I could see..."

Michael held his head in his hands. What was this? What was he seeing? She had just told Valerie of what they had done back in Eruteak, was she watching him somehow…or was he watching her? The answer sprang to his mind, bringing a food of realization with it. Both Melody and Michael whispered the word at the same time.

"Memories…"

He remembered the times when he couldn't see anything in the dreams, when they were nothing but great flashes of light that came and went, distorted to him.

"I can see him now" Melody said "I know what these dreams mean…"

"…what do they mean?" Valerie asked quietly

"You were right…he's looking for me too" She answered, tears of joy welling in her eyes, as well as Michaels as he watched on. "He's…here"

The room grew distant and the floor fell away from beneath Michael as he said one last thing, the darkness encompassing him once more.

"Yes, Melody…I'm here…"

Michael woke from the sensation of falling, jolting upright in bed and breathing heavily. He sighed deeply as he sat up. The first light of the morning was creeping through the fabric of the curtains, illuminating the room in a dull light. The fire now smouldered in the hearth, a black pile of ash and charred wood, filling the room with the rustic smell of burnt wood. The smell reminded him of the tower he had arrived in; bringing with it the feeling of a new day. The others were still asleep when he looked over, Will snoring gently as he faced away from the rest, Tom lying on his back, one hand around the sleeping Lucario who rested her head on his shoulder. The trainer who slept near the fire turned over, grunting as he sat up and rubbed his eyes. He got up, his bedraggled short black hair sticking out all over his head, and walked to the bathroom across the hall. Michael followed him, having to use the bathroom himself, and, hopefully, find a working shower.

He wasn't disappointed when he did, a stack of fresh towels were even laid out to the right of the two cubicles. Bertha was too kind to the people who stayed here. He stripped of his clothes and showered, savouring the heated water and the fresh feeling as he towelled off. He didn't have time to wash his clothes, being the only pair he had right now, but at least he felt clean again under the wrinkled shirt he wore. When he exited, the trainer he had seen before called to him from a couch, looking up from rummaging through his bag.

"Hey, you need those Arpicorns for something?" he asked, pointing to Michael's bed where four of the large blue acorns he had picked he night before lay.

"Uh, are they edible?" Michael asked

"Apricorns? Not unless you can bite through wood" He said

"Then, probably not" Michael said, walking back over to his bed, picking up one of them and examining one in his hand. It felt like a regular acorn, hard and rough like wood, but coloured a soft blue.

"I'll buy them from you" He said "I can give you a thousand for all of them"

"A…a thousand?" Michael stuttered. What was currency worth in this world?

"Yeah, that's all I can give, it's enough isn't it?" He said, pulling out a small group of bills, holding out five marked with an odd currency symbol, two p's, crossed in the middle.

"…sure" Michael said, taking the money and handing the trainer the four apricorns. His curiosity got the better of him as he continued "why do you need them?"

"I know a guy who can turn these into pokeballs" He explained "Cheaper than buying new ones, and I can sell some to him anyway"

"How does he make an….apricorn…into a pokeball?" Michael asked. The trainer shrugged in response

"No idea, but it's cheap and these one's he's made haven't failed yet" He said, pointing to the multiple pokeballs clipped to his belt, all different colours and patterns. He continued to rummage through his bag as Michael walked away.

Soon enough, the others woke and shook the sleep from their eyes. Layla woke before Tom, stuttering in embarrassment when she found herself lying so close to him. It was comfortable, but awkward, and she soon made an excuse to move away, waking Tom in the process. Tom chuckled and uttered a quiet apology, glaring at Will as he laughed at the exchange. Bertha was down soon after, heading immediately into the kitchen and preparing a large breakfast for them all. Fruits and porridge were served, but no one minded. Bertha had served them in a way that made them forget the monotony of the same berries they had eaten before. She soon as they had all been fed, Bertha gave a hearty call as she led them out to behind the house, where an old white van waited, covered by a thin film of dust. Its paint was chipped and rust showed through, but it sputtered to life quickly and was big enough for them all. Bertha called to the other trainer as she loaded the rest into the idling van.

"Do you need a lift too?" She smiled "We're going to the next rest house along, it'll save you walking"

"No thanks, miss, I'm flying to Eruteak from here" He replied. Will gave him a very curious look as he disappeared around the side of the house, but Tom pulled him back before he could exit the van and interrogate the boy as to what he meant.

The van rumbled around the house and gave a hearty sputter as it lurched onto the dirt path, the forest speeding by as they accelerated to well beyond what Michael considered legal. Will gave a cry and motioned out the rear window, gesturing wildly. The others turned their head to see the trainer mounting the back of a huge bird, easily three times his size, with a piercing stare and long red beak. Unfurling its massive wings, it gave three flaps before shooting into the sky, the trainer still holding onto its back.

"Christ almighty…" Tom muttered as he watched the bird climb and disappear into the morning sky.

"Next time, Michael, Catch one of those things so we have some real transport" Will said, still amazed by the feat he had just witnessed.

"Decent transport?" Bertha called in mock offence "Watch your tongue handsome, or you'll be walking your old bones to the next stop"

"…handsome?" Will muttered. Bertha just laughed quietly.

The ride was bumpy, rocks being thrown up on the unsealed path, but there was no doubt that it was quick. With The path carved almost dead straight, Betha took every chance to floor the accelerator and throw the group back into their seats. They only slowed for corners, and even then Michael could have sworn the van left the ground slightly. Bertha seemed to be enjoying it, laughing almost manically as she pushed the old sputtering engine to its limits. Within the hours, they had arrived at the next rest house, exiting the van to shakily stand on solid ground once again. Bertha smiled widely as she stepped out and stretched.

"Made good time, didn't we, boys?" She said, getting a kick out of seeing their pale faces. Tom muttered something about old lady drivers and Will just dumbly stared.

Bertha said her goodbyes and got back in the drivers seat, old van letting out a loud bang as she speed away, metal frame rumbling into the distance. It was only a short stop, allowing the young couple who owned the rest house to gift them all with some sandwiches before they left, slowly regaining their legs after the rough tumbling of Bertha's amateur Grand Prix solo. Layla seemed to be improving, managing to walk for half an hour before her leg insisted she rest, but within an hour, she was walking again for as long as she could. The cycle of walking and being carried repeated itself until they arrived at the city limits, two large pillars rising from the earth to greet them as they entered. It was jarring for them all to see how quickly the landscape changed. One second the forest surrounded them with its imposing presence, changing to a landscape of uniform rows of housing the second they passed pillars marking the city entrance. Walking through the city, the shifts became more subtle as houses gave way to offices and eventually high rise apartments.

Michael consulted a local about where the port was, quickly urging the group to the south side of the city when he was told. Olivine was huge, forcing the group to walk for half an hour to reach the edge, where the sky scrapers suddenly broke and the ocean laid before them in its entire spender. The midday sun sparkled off the waters surface, the sound of waves crashing on the shore and the white foam boiling to life from underneath the water was so out of place in a city like this, almost as if the space between the skyscrapers was a portal to a far off land. As they stepped forth, a breath of hot air assaulted them, the breeze carried from the sea and heated by the midday sun. Children and familys played in the water and lounged on the sand, many pokemon amoungst them as well, often entertaining the children as they ran across the shore. The heat made everyone suddenly feel tired and hot, coaxing them to rest and relax in the sun. Following the road and ignoring the vendors pedalling their frozen treats, Michael led the group to the port, a large building breaking across the sand with its painted blue concrete. Boats of all shapes and sizes were moored to a smaller port to the side of the imposing building, most of them being small fishing vessels. The hot air of the day gave way as they stepped through the glass doors of the concrete block of a building, the sweat cooling on Michael's brow. Michael had wondered why the building was so huge, but his question was answered when he saw the great ship anchored behind an even greater pane of glass, right behind a multitude of reception desks. Despite the row of desks, only two were staffed, both by rather bored looking young women. One of them sighed and rolled her eyes as the group approached; putting away a magazine she had been reading and responding to Michael's questions before he had a chance to ask.

"The S.S. Tidal is closed to the public due to the situation in Hoenn, only authorized traders and law officers may board. The S.S. Tidal will not be returning from Hoenn and will remain docked at Lilycove, Regional Sealines apologises for the inconvenience" She droned monotonously from behind heavy makeup. The woman looked like something out of a fashion magazine, sporting a golden tan and straightened black hair, complimented by glossy pink lipstick and thickly applied glittered green mascara.

"Wait, we were told that-"Michael was cut off by the droning voice again

"Please direct all complaints to the manager, we can't do anything"

"Is there any way-"

"The ship is off-limits to the public unless you have a pass" she droned, Michael sighed and wiped his damp forehead

"How can we get to Hoenn then?" He asked, the receptionist shrugged

"Private boats are being turned away from Lilycove and Pokémon travel is barred too, please direct all complaints –". Michael smashed his hand down onto the desk, making the receptionist as well was the rest of the group jump, Tom glaring at him when he yelled

"Just help us, dammit!" He yelled "Don't give us any of your stupid business answers, help us!" The woman glared daggers at Michael as she answered.

"I can't do anything, sir, I told you that the manager-"

"You can give us some help!" He yelled "Isn't there anything on that computer there that you can look up?" The woman stood and planted her hands on the desk as she matched his volume.

"Look, I don't want to be here and I'm not putting up with anything from rude people like you, talk to the manager!" She screeched

"There can't be no way to get to Hoenn, so help us find one, do your job!" Michael bellowed. Tom was readying to drag Michael out the door at this pointless display of anger.

"My job isn't to help you; I'm just telling you what I told everyone else! The ferry is clo-"

"Pearl, is there a problem?" A voice called from the right of the desk. The receptionist turned to look at the man who was approaching. Tall and dressed in a smart looking shirt and blazer, with a decorative Milotic badge labelled 'Regional Sealines' pinned to his lapel, he confidently walked to the desk and asked again.

"Now, what is the problem out here, Pearl?" he asked calmly.

"Sir, this man is being very rude, I've told him that I can't do anythi-"

"Help-us!" Michael yelled "Look anything up, I just need to know how to get over to Hoenn, I don't care about the ferry!" The smartly dressed man glanced at him before addressing the receptionist once more.

"I'll talk to him, Pearl, go and take a short break" He said. The receptionist pouted and stalked away angrily. He calmly took a seat in the desk chair and turned to Michael.

"Now, what exactly do you want to know?" he asked, no hurry in his voice.

"I just…" Michael lowered his voice as he continued "…need to know how to get to Hoenn if the ferry isn't running"

"Well, Pokémon travellers as well as private crafts are being turned away. You could apply for a temporary clearance past the blockades. How soon must you leave?" he asked, fingers deftly tapping the keyboard for the desktop terminal.

"As soon as we can" Michael said, drawing a sigh from the man

"Then a clearance pass is out of the question unless you're willing to wait for it to be processed" he said, hitting a few more keys on the terminal. "I'm afraid the only way in would be by air, however, you couldn't travel past the airport without clearance"

"Is there any way" Michael asked quietly "Please, any way at all". Michael's bout of rage had now quelled to a feeling of helplessness, practically begging the man for help. He breathed deeply and stopped tapping at the keyboard, looking at Michael.

"I'm sorry; Hoenn is nearly completely shut off due to the criminal activity right now. Unless you wait for a clearance pass, I'm afraid there is no way you could get in" He said. Michael hung his head in defeat, limping away from the desk, the rest of the group in tow as they exited back onto the hot, sunlit street.

"No way…" He muttered, head in hands as he made his way along the road, walk slow and stumbling.

"Not legally at least…" Tom said deviously, but Michael kept his head down, still doubting their chances. Layla, who was once again walking, showed a rare sign of affection for anyone other than Tom as she gently placed a paw on Michael's arm. Michael looked over to her. Her eyes were deep and red, holding a great maelstrom of thoughts and desires behind them. Michael gave a weak smiled as he realised how like her eyes were to Melody's, mumbling a thanks before Tom spoke up.

"First, we find a place to stay instead of moping around this beach, then we can go out and find a way to get to Hoenn" he announced. Will gave Tom an accusing glare.

"Planning on prowling the back alleys and shady bars to get over there?" Will scoffed, Tom rolled his eyes.

"Then stay at the bloody hotel, I'll just have to save your behinds again…" he said

"That I will" Will respond with finality. And with that exchange, they wandered back into the great maze of skyscrapers, the sounds of the ocean being overtaken by the sound of cars and noises of the crowds.

Finding a small hotel on near the harbour, they checked into a single room. The room cost more than they could afford, but the hotel allowed for payment during checkout, and Tom assured Michael that they wouldn't be around long enough to worry about that. Michael was glad to have someone who didn't shirk the idea of minor criminal deeds for something that mattered, and one who could convincingly lie and sign under a fake name.

The room was small, only meant for two people, but it allowed them all to relax for the evening. Standard cream coloured walls and white bed sheets, a small television on the desk and two armchairs, made the room as generic as it could be. The packed lunch which the young couple had given them while passing through the rest house served as an early dinner or late lunch, which was more than they had hoped for when they had started off on this trip. Will turned on the television and quickly flipped through to a new channel, watching in interest as world and region news was reported. The news show described the civil war occurring in Hoenn as well as the effects of the portals disrupting the world, with updates from various professors and scientists about what could be causing it. One man stood near the border of Viridian city, armoured vehicles behind him accompanied by solders carrying small weaponry, most of them being paired with large battle ready Pokémon wearing custom armour. The man wore a white coat over a light red shirt, greying hair trimmed into a short, no-nonsense haircut. He wore a stern expression as he talked to various reporters on theories he had constructed about the cataclysm, the small title bar at the bottom of the news feeding displaying "Professor Samuel Oak: Head of Kanto Pokémon Research Conglomerate"

"-disruptions in space and time very well might have been caused by Pokémon. Despite what the public thinks, certain powerful Pokémon have the potential to cause this, most notably the two fabled legendaries, Diagla and Plakia. Why they would cause these things is unknown, but their abilities are not beyond it"

"Aren't those Pokémon considered to be almost untraceable?" The reported asked

"Yes, much about them is still unknown to us, as their observed abilities have proven that they could move anywhere in space and time, respectively." The Professor explained "It is unlikely that this is true, but considering how little we know about factors such as their intelligence, psychology and physiology, it could be considered a viable theory"

"Is that you're primary theory, professor?" The reported asked. The professor paused for thought for a moment before answering.

"No, we haven't decided on a primary theory yet. One of the other theory's we have is that a large clash between two or more Pokémon of huge power, legendaries are most likely, has caused this to occur due to the massive releases of energy" he said "Such as thing had been seen with incidents such as the controversial "Mewtwo" experiments as well as the ancient unown archaeology incident, however these were much more isolated occurrences" He listed off the factors on his fingers as he explained them. Will gave a short grunt of disapproval, but still had that look of great contemplation in his eyes. Power to rend the very fabric of space and time at will belonging to organic creatures was ludicrous; it was practically equal to the power of a god. And if it was a god, equally ludicrous, then surely they wouldn't pull something this stupid and savage if they had the innate knowledge to create an entire universe.

"Bah, nonsense" Will accused, as if the professor could hear him through the television "They can invent a ball capable of transforming matter into nuclear energy for storage, but they can't fathom the idea of a quantum collision?"

"How did you come up with the idea?" Michael asked. Will rubbed a discoloured spot on his scalp, the skin slightly feeling thinner.

"I fell and hit my head while walking through the campus a few years back" He said almost proudly "Knocked the idea right into me"

"…I don't think most scientists rely on getting ideas knocked into them…" Michael asked. Will waved his hand exaggeratedly through the air.

"Maybe if they went through with it like they do with all their other half baked ideas, then my field would be getting somewhere…" He muttered bitterly.

"Or maybe it knocked some sense out of you" Tom chuckled, loading his pockets with some chocolate bars from the mini-fridge under the desk. He turned towards the door with Layla in tow and spoke again before Will could offer any retort.

"I'm going out to investigate some things, you're welcome to come but it'd be easier if it was only us two" Tom said, waiting for a moment in the doorway. Michael shook his head from the chair he was reclining in.

"Sorry, I need some rest today" he said "I probably wouldn't be of any help anyway". In reality, Michael wanted to come along with them. He didn't like the powerlessness that came from sitting this room while the world passsed by, but he knew it wasn't the best idea to get in the way of Tom if he did come up with something, and he trusted the grizzled priest with that much. Tom nodded and closed the before behind him as he left, cutting of Will as he began a counter insult.

Throughout the evening, Tom and Layla walked the streets, searching any leads they found to find some way or some one who could get them into Hoenn. The pair's search led through many of the less savoury areas of the city, ducking in and out of shady bars and clubs were the filth of the city settled. The area didn't faze Tom, having dealt with such people in the past. Layla, although still slightly limping, knew she could take on any trouble without too much worry. But despite this, they both kept their guard up as they were led from person to person, each one offering a small bit of information. The information all culminated into the name of one man, who was said to be one of the largest supplies of illicit goods. One small, untrustworthy looking man with pale skin and large scars along his body, shaking slightly and constantly scratching his arms as if he was crawling with spiders, told them that he ran a club in the middle of a block of dingy apartments, and offered to take them there for a small fee. Tom refused and made to leave. Turning, he heard the distinct click and sliding of metal as the young man drew a switchblade from behind his back, throwing himself forward. Tom deftly dodged and drove his elbow into the man's neck, unfurling his arm and yanking the man's arm at an awkward angle, hearing the crack of bone and ligament snapping. He was on the ground quickly, snivelling in pain as Tom took hold of the blade and stood over him, demanding the directions.

"Down the road, past Ohtani street!" he blubbered through gritted teeth. Tom's cold glare made him shake in a mixture of anger and desperation. With sloppy but quick movement, he grabbed for Layla's leg as she stood next to Tom, trying to pull her down. Tom fell to forward, pinning the man's good arm with his knee as Layla jumped back before the man could reach.

"Bad call" He sneered, plunging the switchblade deep into the man's shoulder. The man screamed in pain, rolling on the wet tarmac as blood seeped into his faded jacket. Tom pulled himself up, flicking shut and pocketing the switchblade, then walking out of the alleyway, the cries of the injured man echoing behind him. Layla followed silently, glancing apprehensively at Tom as they walked. She knew Tom was a fighter and that he had been involved with some very violent groups, but now that she had seen him borderline torture a man, she felt a slight fear creep into her. Despite his explanations of how ugly the people in the world could be, it didn't prepare her for what he had done.

They reached the club without further incident, finding the sign placed almost inconspicuously on a large and dilapidated apartment building door. The scratched sign read "Helix Pleasures" in cursive faded scarlet lettering, giving them both an idea of what kind of club it was. They knocked on the door, waiting a few seconds before a large man opened it, glaring at them both through cheap black sunglasses. He was dark skinned and wore a simple white tank top and jeans, top stained and yellowing, muscle bulging from two thick arms. He ran his eyes up and both the both of them before he grunted and jerked a thumb behind him, motioning them inside. They entered, the smell of smoke, alcohol and sweat hitting them. The apartment walls had been torn down crudely, making the entire ground floor into a large open area. A bar in the corner and scattered tables filled with loud, yelling men were the first things they saw, but their eyes very quickly found the crude stage that had been set at the very end of the building. A multitude of half clothed woman danced along the edge of the group gathered around the stage, drawing hollers and calls from the men. Tom knew prostitution was a business, but his face distorted in disgust as they continued to walk through the crowd when he saw half the 'women' on stage were female Pokémon. Layla couldn't help but stare at the dancers while she followed Tom. She hardly knew anything of the human culture, but this was something that was shocking to her, despite her ignorance of humans. Most of the female Pokémon were at least vaguely humanoid, being the most appealing to the crowd. Two Lopunnys, a Blaziken and even another Lucario danced sensually on the edge of the stage, seeming utterly shameless. She didn't know how they ended up like that, but she guessed probably wouldn't like the answer.

Tom talked to the barman, asking for to see the man who apparently could help them. The bartender, a man with dirty blonde hair flowing back into a mullet and wearing the same tank top as the one who'd let them in, gave Tom a hard stare.

"You'd be pissin' him off if it weren't serious business" The bartender said, spitting in a glass and polishing it with a dirty rag. "Ain't wise to piss him off, either"

"Its business, we need to make a deal" Tom said shortly, the bartender still glaring.

"Business come at a price, what'd you pay him?" He said sharply

"We'll work something out, I can afford anything he wants" Tom said, the Bartender relented and replaced the half cleaned glass. Walking them over to a stairwell near the back of the club and leading them up to a long hallway. On the left side of the room, the doors were numbered, each displaying a sign which could be flipped between "Free" and "In use".

"He's got a steep price, watch your words" he said as he led them to the single door on the right side of the hall, knocking three times, opening after a gruff voice called to him.

The interior of the office had been widened, two walls being knocked down to make way for a huge mahogany desk and expensive looking red couch, as well as a large king sized bed, sheets a deep purple satin with multiple pillows. The walls were adorned with pinups of models and expensive looking paintings. The whole room was very clean and well maintained; as if it had sucked all the life from the building it resided in and condensed it into one area. Behind the great wooden desk in an equally great black leather chair, sat a wide bodied man. His face was round and small, blonde hair pulled back into a small knot behind his head, but his shoulders were broad. They branched into two disproportionately thin arms, from which small, almost slender hands sprouted. He looked as if his body was stuck between being a weightlifter and an Olympic runner, making his black suit stretch uncomfortably over his wide chest. He had halted looking through a stack of papers as the bartender led them inside, calming assessing Tom and Layla. The bartender stopped in the middle of the room and spoke, looking slightly fearful of the man behind the chair.

"This guy says he got business for you sir" The man spoke, his gruff, causal tone gone and replaced by a nearly formal and neutral voice.

"Business? What sort of business that he comes to me for?" The man spoke; Tom stiffened but repressed his sneer of disgust as he heard the man's voice. The same slick, snake oiled voice Sting had so often used.

"He…hasn't said, sir" The bartender replied, quickly adding "But he says that he can pay anything for it"

"Anything?...well this certainly is interesting" He said, glancing over the two again. An uncomfortable silence settled over the room, the bartender looking around nervously.

"Sir..?" He asked apprehensively

"Thank you Aaron, go wait outside" he said briskly. The bartender didn't hesitate as he turned and hurried away, closing the door behind him. The room grew quiet again, Tom and Layla standing in the centre while the man stared at them. This went on for half a minute before he spoke up.

"Well, what business have you come to talk of?" He said, straighten in his chair

"We need to get to Hoenn, the sooner the better, any means are fine" Tom said. The man behind the desk chuckled and pointed disturbingly friendlily at Tom.

"Straight to the point, I like you. You know the value of my time" He said, the last part coming out with a slightly threatening inflection. "I'll be brief too then. Lots of people want in to Hoenn and the region is locked down very tightly. People I know have ceased operating due to the security, so the only way in, is through false documentation". The man removed a few small notebooks from the lower left drawer of his desk, laying them on the desk.

"A lot of people want to get into Hoenn for one reason or another, I couldn't care less, so a lot of people are after these fake authorised ferry passes" he explained "The question is, how much will they pay?"

"How would those passes get us onto the ship, how do we know they'll work?" Tom asked. The man pointed again.

"Cautious too. You shouldn't worry about these; I do have men on the ferry staff that will turn a blind eye if they notice these are fake." He said almost soothingly

"How many men? We could get someone who isn't one and spots them" Tom counted. The man's smirk fell to a deadly serious look.

"You say you'll pay anything, so I'll tell you. They always patrol the fences. There's a weak chain link joint near the rear left fence of the main berthing area which they'll break open if you show them the passes." He said

"So if we're caught by someone else, you can just say we broke in" Tom accused. The man returned to smiling.

"Well, if you weren't arrested for that, then surely it would be for the fake passes. Personal security, you understand?" he said confidently.

"…so we get screwed and you keep the pay…" Tom muttered

"Yes" The man said plainly "but what other ways are there?" He was confidant that there was no other way onto the ship, and with his men around operating in harbour, he was probably right. Tom steeled himself and asked the next question.

"How much for four passes?" he asked. The man whistled at hearing the number.

"Four passes is a lot. And it will easily put 350,000 dollars into my hand" He said, holding out his hand in a beckoning gesture.

"And if I don't have that money?" Tom said. The man looked at him as if he were a pile of gold in himself. His eyes wandered to the ceiling and he perched his hands together.

"Well, there are other means you can pay" He said "For example; that is a very rare Pokémon you have following you". Layla glared at him, his words being laced with intent. "Customers come here mostly for the Pokémon; this is one of the only places that can guarantee that taste can be fulfilled. And I take many measures to maintain that. I'm sure she would attract quite a crowd, on stage and off." Layla now knew how those Pokémon ended up here, and she despised the idea even more so now.

"I'm not selling her" Tom said unquestionably, the man's smile growing wider.

"Well, I'd hate to tear a couple like you apart, so in that case we can go more along the lines of rental" he said. Tom stared at him with a questioning frown.

"Rental?" he asked scornfully

"Of course. She would be in service of the club and it's customers for a set time, then you can recollect her" The man said, spreading his hands in a welcoming gesture, sly grin on his face. His gesture was met with only a cold stare from Tom, who turned his back.

"Forget it, we'll find another way" he said, walking away with Layla. The man called from behind them.

"My time is valuable and you said you had business for me" He said threateningly, his calm demeanour gone and replaced by one of anger. "This deal is not one you can walk away from. Payment is still to be decided"

"Watch me" Tom muttered as he continued. The man called out the name Aaron and the bartender entered quickly, blocking Tom's way.

"Aaron, please restrain him from leaving" The man said calmly. The bartender stepped forward and pushed Tom back threateningly, herding him back into the middle of the room.

"Time is money, and you don't have money that can afford my time, so how are you going to pay for these?" The man asked irritably, drumming his fingers on the desk. Tom looked back and forth between the man and the large bartender blocking his way, glancing quickly at Layla.

"I won't" He said, launching himself at the bartender and striking at his face. The bartender ducked, but cried out as Tom swiftly withdrew the switchblade from his pocket and swung it across the man's lowered face. The man cried out in pain as he clutched at his eyes, blood obscuring his vision as he blindly struck out. Tom dodged and pulled Layla by the arm, dragging her out the door with him as he ran down the corridor. The man called out from behind them, but Tom didn't hear and he flew down the stairs. Layla stumbled and cried out in pain as he leg landed on the stair roughly, falling to the ground. Tom swore under his breathe as he quickly picked her back up, unconventionally carrying her over his shoulder as he continued to run. He burst through the doorway for the ground floor and barged through the crowd. The customers called out in protest, some trying to throw their bottles at him, but missing in the confusion. Layla might have protested being carried like this, but her leg was still healing and running for herself was out of the question. The bouncer at the door saw the disruption and readied himself, couching to tackle Tom. Tom's old reflexes kicked in, grabbing a bottle on a passing table by the neck and hurling it at the bouncer. The man dodged, but his bulky frame made him slow to snap back, giving Tom the time needed to clumsily swipe the blade at the man as he barged past. Blood sprayed from a cut on the bouncers arm, but his head drove itself into Tom's side as he was barged out of the way. Tom winced in pain as he felt one of his ribs crack, pain shooting through his side as he continued down the stairs of the apartment building. He made a hard left and ran, never stopping to look behind him as he continued down the dark road, streetlights illuminating puddles of water and dancing in his vision.

He ran past the closely packed buildings and back alley shops, only slowing to a jog after breaking into a more civilised area, the streetlights doubling on the main road and brightening the scene. He jogged across to a great green expanse of grass and trees, the park path illuminated by evenly spaced lamps across the gravel path, shops visible on the other side of the small park area. He slowed as he travelled down the park path, jog turning to a limping walk before stopping completely. He panted and tried to regain his breath, the pain in his side flaring as he did so. He was too distracted to notice Layla tapping his back until she spoke into his ear"

"You can put me down, they didn't follow us" She said. Tom bent over and carefully placed her on the ground, grunting in pain as he straightened up, muttering an apology about the abrupt escape. She folded her arms and stared at him hard.

"I didn't need to be carried like that" She said "I could have-"

"Oh save it" Tom interrupted "You couldn't have run on that leg". Her stare hardened even more as she answered.

"I could have helped protect you too, we would have taken both of them" She protested loudly "All you've done is get yourself hurt and left behind what we wanted"

"You could be thankful that I bothered carrying you" Tom growled, still breathing hard and holding his side. The pressure stopped some of the pain, but it throbbed hotly under his skin. Layla growled in frustration.

"We fight together" She said "And twice you've hurt yourself trying to help me, I'm not weak! I can fight back too, I can-"

"Shut up!" Tom yelled. Layla's frown lost some of its intensity, her folded arms loosening. "What if one of those two had somehow gotten to you, what if one had pulled something, what if! I don't like risks!"

"Then why risk yourself!" She screamed furiously. Tom grunted lowly, his voice dropping to a quiet tone.

"Because you're the reason I bothered with this…" He said. Layla's face softened, slight confusion and apprehension in her mind. "You wanted to get back to your world, but you were a good friend back there…I wanted to help."

Tom leaned against the lamppost they were under, gentle flickering of the light drawing moths through the air and emitting a quiet buzz.

"You're…I like you" he said simply "I was glad you decided to stay, you're a good friend…and I don't want some stupid mistake taking that away, we all look out for each other so I'm responsible for you too now that you're with us…"

Layla's head dropped in embarrassment; eye's searching through the gravel as she tried to understand what he had said. She didn't know he cared for her like that. The first time he had saved her was excusable, but this time he didn't have to do it. He could have let her fight with him, but instead tried to get her to safety. And he called her a friend, something she been debating over for some time now. She didn't know what to think of Tom, her thoughts confused by her urge to be with him but being unable to figure out why. He was a strong figure, a warrior proud and true, just like the one's her pack followed. She was part of a new pack now, and perhaps she didn't realise how deeply bound she was.

"I…well…sorry" She muttered, her eyes now gentle and looking up at him with concern. "Are you able to walk?"

"..I'll be fine to make it back" he said "That bastard revealed more than he should have, that works for us-".Tom was interrupted by the pain in his side as he began to walk, grunting heavily. Layla reached out and took his hand in her paw, guiding him forward and making sure he wouldn't fall.

"Thanks…" He said gratefully, smiling slightly. They both started forward through the park, gravel crunching underneath their feet as they strode under the glowing light of a beautiful rising moon.


	19. Chapter 19

Tom and Layla had taken their time in getting back to the hotel room, which probably was a bad thing, but the night was cool and the walk they shared was enjoyable. For a while, Layla had to help Tom in walking, leading him gently with her paw through the dimmed streets. It was a complete role reverse, she had mentioned, that she was now the one helping Tom along the way. Tom chuckled as he realised how useless she had felt while like this. His rib still gave him pain by the time they reached the hotel's door, but it had eased from a sharp piercing to a dull, hot throb in his side. He had eased up too, becoming less dependent on Layla's guidance. The hotel receptionist paid them no head as they walked by, far too engrossed in a phone call he was making. It was likely for the best that he hadn't noticed the roughed up, smelling of blood and sweat Irishman being led by a Pokémon to the elevators. Questions would have been asked and not pleasant ones.

They entered the elevator, Tom pressing the button for the fifth floor on which they were staying. The sudden jolt of movement as the elevator began its climb startled Layla, making her sway and lose her balance. She wasn't used to human contraptions, and fell into Tom's grip as she stumbled backwards. The constant movement of the elevator made it hard for her to rebalance herself and she kept falling back into Tom, who laughed at her clumsiness, Layla huffing that such a thing was unfitting of a fighter who could easily balance on only a few toes.

The opening of the elevator caught them off guard, Layla still leaning back into tom's grip, as the door opened to reveal a surprised Michael and Will. Will chuckled at seeing the two, who straightened up as soon as they were noticed, both rather embarrassed. Tom cursed his luck at always being caught by the two in these awkward situations, Will laughing at them while Michael gave a wistful and knowing smile.

"What are you two doing out?" Tom asked, wincing as he stood straight.

"We were going to look around the city" Michael said "I thought that we might see something useful" He said. In reality, he just wanted to get out of the hotel and do breathe some fresh air, maybe sit for a while with his own thoughts in some secluded area. He felt drained, wanting to get away from all of this for just a while and be alone with his memoires that seemed so far away by now.

"Well, that shouldn't matter now, we got something that may help" Tom said, ushering them all back into the room. Michael didn't bother protesting despite his weariness and followed, slumping back into the same chair he had been wallowing in all day since they had arrived. Tom sat on one of the beds, laying his back against the headboard and letting the adrenaline from the earlier fiasco drain from him, being replaced by the same weariness that Michael felt. He sighed deeply as he started.

"Layla and I did some searching around the city" He started "We might have found some way to Hoenn". Michaels heart skipped a beat, he hadn't thought it would come so quickly, even with Tom's skills in investigation.

"Some club owner offered us fake passes aboard that ferry. They would get us past the people patrolling the docks, most of which are his men anyway, it seems" Tom said, anger simmering in his gut as he told the next part "He said he wanted 350,000 for them. I've got no idea how much that is in this place, but I assume it's a lot from the set up he had going."

"Did you get the passes?" Michael asked hopefully, knowing that the salvation he sought may be so close to reach.

"No, he said we could pay other ways, but...it wasn't worth it" He said, dashing Michael hopes

"Why...what offer wasn't worth this?" Michael said, slightest hint of anger and scorn in his voice. That anger disappeared immediately when Tom didn't answer, instead apprehensively glancing at Layla. Let out a small sigh as Tom continued

"We decided to find another way to Hoenn, but he...he was very persuasive, not able to take no for an answer. I jumped one of his grunts, untrained guy who looked like he'd hardly fought anyone, and we managed to escape from the place" He explained. Layla gave a small nod

"I fell...Tom carried me but on the way out...he hurt his side when getting past someone" She said quietly. It wasn't often she talked to anyone but Tom, and felt like an unnoticed minority in the group. "That's why we took so long to come back here"

"Thankfully that guy was too sure of himself making the deal. Let some information slip that he shouldn't have" Tom said proudly.

"Can we use it to get to Hoenn?" Michael asked, desperation still lingering in his voice

"Hopefully, if we pull things off right" Tom said. Michael felt relived as he began to listen to Tom's plan. "He told us that he has people working the docks, they let you through if you show them a fake pass. But what he also said is that his men can also let you in through a weak link in the fence around the place"

"Are you suggesting we break in?" Will asked worriedly "Smuggle ourselves aboard the ship?"

"Perhaps, it's probably the best idea right now" Tom said. Will sighed exasperatedly

"But where would we hide? We can't just stay in one of the cabins and below the deck would likely be filled with ship crew" Will said

"That woman said that merchants have passes to the ship" Will explained carefully "If merchants use the ship, surely they'd need a large cargo hold, one big enough to take shipping containers" Tom said

"Spending sixteen hours in a crate...first class travel" Will muttered "What if they find us?"

"Unlikely that the crew would check the containers when they're on board, unless they happen to be inclined to thievery. We might be able to simply stow away in the hold, rather than a container, but once on the ship those containers will probably be locked until they're unloaded anyway" Tom said "That wouldn't be good for us"

"How can we get off the ship?" Michael spoke up. Turn turned to him and gave him a half-hearted shrug

"Sneaking off in broad daylight is out of the question, and they'd noticed if we took one of the lifeboats" Tom rubbed his tired face, a silence following. No one was able to think of a way off the ship once they had gotten on, cruelly ironic that their goal to get to Hoenn was the one thing hindering them. After a while, Layla spoke up, eager to end the uncomfortable and time wasting silence.

"...We can figure that out when we're on the ship" She said "It's most important to get on that boat first". Tom admired that she had set the priorities right, but the pressure would still be on them to escape, and they would be cornered like rats when they were aboard.

"Fine" Michael concluded "It's a risk worth taking". Tom looked at Michael and saw the newfound determination in his face again. He knew there would be no deterring the boy from getting on that ship now, even without an escape plan. He grunted annoyedly and stood up, easing himself into stance, thankful that the pain had died down enough for him to walk.

"As much as I hate it, fine, we'll just go and figure it out onboard" He said, opening the mini-bar and taking the rest of the snacks, hoping they'd suffice for the journey. "Suppose stealing a lifeboat isn't too bad if we set it back out to sea again or something...". He opened the door and waited for everyone else to gather their minimal things.

"What?" Will asked "we're leaving right now?"

"It's the best time" Tom said, glancing at the clock which read 9:47 PM "The ferry will be gone in the morning, we need to get aboard as soon as we can"

"How do we do that anyway? We sneak into the dock, then what?" Will said, hurriedly grabbing his own blanket and stuffing a few pages of internet print offs into his pocket, courtesy of the Hotel lobby terminal.

"If it has a cargo hold it needs a cargo hold door" Tom explained slowly, mocking Will with the simplicity. "We get onto the ship through that door"

"We just walk on?" Will said, dumbstruck by how straightforward Tom made it sound it elude security around the port

"Maybe...we'll see when we get there" Tom said as they all walked to the elevators, Layla managing to do so with only a small limp. Tom knew the plan was still half baked and that the risk of something happening was high, something he didn't like. If he could, he'd forget about this whole plan and deem it more trouble than it was worth, but Michael would never let him do that and other ways into Hoenn so directly were scant.

The elevator ride was shorter this time, and less awkward for Tom, as they made their way to the ground floor. The receptionist called to them as they exited, waving for attention.

"Checking out, sirs?" he asked

"No, we're all just heading out for a drink" Tom lied, sincerity laced in his voice. The receptionist nodded and want back to work, Tom chuckling at his work in action.

The night air was now cool and crisp, their breath all forming small clouds of mist as they walked. Michael shivered, only having his shirt for warmth, wishing he had something warmer, or someone. Layla was fascinated by the lights of the city that stretched high into the sky, gleaming yellow along the roofs and sides of high rise buildings that faded to a deep blue in the darkness. Everything Humans made always seemed so big, as if they were compensating for their weakness in battle, like they often did with everything. While humans developed the land and evolved to fit their surroundings, Pokémon made do with what they could find. If somewhere was too cold or there was not enough food, they would migrate quickly and easily. But humans, who could not travel as they could, were forced to create these huge cities and loud, almost unnecessarily fast vehicles, letting them explore further than any Pokémon could on their own. And although these things were strange to her, she found them to be almost exciting as they continued through the streets, past bright lights and blaring music. She could imagine herself living in a place like this, exploring a new area every day and finding new people and Pokémon to see. But she doubted she would like to stay forever, as she also enjoyed the solitary mountains and ranges which her clan had often travelled through. Now that she had seen both sides of the world, she was torn between one and the other. But she let it go as they broke through the buildings to the shoreline, where the scent of the sea was carried on the air and the sound of the seas gently crash on the shore soothed their ears.

She didn't have much time to admire the beauty, however, as Tom led them all to the harbour, creeping along the beach and heading down onto the sand, where the raised fence sat on the concrete docking platform. The lights were on near the rear of the ferry terminal, although little activity could be heard coming from above, a good thing, probably. The rear corner was where he headed and where he showed them the weak link in the fence, old chain link worn, multiple marks where it had been re-welded, and flaking with brown rust. Tom tugged at the chain link, testing its strength as quietly as he could, the rattling noise sounding much louder against the ambient backdrop of the ocean. He tugged harder, the metal creaking and protesting, but refusing to give way.

"God...bugger" Tom muttered angrily as his desperation grew, knowing that the dock night guards could show up at any moment. Will was peeking over the concrete block and through the bottom of the fence, still telling tom that no one was yet coming. Layla gently put a paw on his arm and eased him way from the fence.

"I want to try something" She said quietly, letting Tom back away and give her the space for her work. She held her paw against the fence, lightly gripping the cool metal, and drew out that all too familiar power. Gentle blue light hummed along the fence and a soft blaze grew in her hand, spreading along the chain links like wildfire. The links did not melt, as everyone had thought they would, but blackened and soon crumpled under their down weight, dark dust scattering into the wind. Even Layla herself was fascinated by this. Her time in the other world had strengthened her aura use slightly by ways of deprivation, forcing her to draw out more in a place where it was scarce. The blackened metal all fell away, what the left clinging brushed away by her paw, leaving a hole big enough for any man to crawl through.

"Ever the resourceful one" Tom said, choosing not to question how she knew it would work or why it even did work. Will choose to keep his questions until later as well, wishing to simply get this plan over with. But even if her were to ask, Layla wouldn't know what to say. In the wild, she had used aura for nothing but sensing and fighting, she knew little of its properties and she doubted that any of her race did. It was a gift they accepted without much thought, not needing to experiment when what they had would suffice.

They took turns and climbed through the fence, gaining only small scratches from the edges of the vaporised metal, Tom instantly ducking behind the side of the building and motioning for the others to do the same. Michael surveyed the port from behind cover, the large yellow floodlights throwing dark ochre shadows along the concrete ground, stained a dirty yellow in the light. Rows of containers sat in the yard, waiting for transport, although it was impossible for him to tell whether they were already unloaded or due for loading. The object of his desire, the ferry the S.S. Anne, was bathed in the same yellow glow which gleamed off its white hull. The ship dwarfed any of the machinery around the shipyard and rose it's intimidating form high above the platforms it was moored to, becoming a great beacon for them all.

Tom survey the shipyard as Michael did, but his mind was working on tactical information now, analysing covering spots and shadows where the group could hide in case of being spotted. He saw only what was important, nothing more and nothing less. But his view was restricted by cargo containers, leaving him blind to the moored side of the ferry and any entrance that may be open.

"Follow my lead" He quietly whispered to the rest, making towards the cargo containers with a careful and silent run before anyone could ask a question. They all followed, like he needed them to, without question.

They moved through the aged containers, each one showing rust from the salty sea air it always sat in for hours on end, providing enough shadow in the high power floodlights for them to remain unseen. No guards had been seen until now, but that changed when Tom's ears picked up the sound of boots against the hard concrete and idle chatter. He pressed himself against the container, the other mimicking, and slowly looked around the corner. Two guards dressed in standard deep blue uniform stood ahead, back to him, talking about something Tom couldn't make out. The one thing he could make out, were the Pokeballs clipped to their belts where a firearm should be. Tom found it interesting that they chose that method, but with the sate of this world, he couldn't be too surprised. It left him at a disadvantage, not being able to disable them both and steal a weapon, but that wasn't something needed right now. Tom motioned to the group and slid along the side of the container away from the ferry, coming around the other side and silently advancing through the rows until he came to the one with the guards at the end, still engaged in their conversation, about sports apparently. They stood at the end of the container near the door which blocked their view of the group, letting Tom's eyes scan the ship's hull for any kind of opening.

It wasn't hard to miss the cargo door, currently lowered to the dock, unleashing a great blackness behind it. Without warning, the sound of an engine broke the silence of the night, advancing towards them. Tom quickly ran back around the container, the others following, Michaels eyes frantically looking for the source of the noise. It didn't take long as a forklift thundered past an opening in one of the rows ahead, the group jolting to a stop as the vehicle hurtled by. The driver hadn't noticed them with his head focused only ahead, but the group still ducked into the shadow of one of the containers, waiting for the sound of the forklift to fade away. Tom sighed in relief, but drew his eyes up to the edge of the dock through the rows of containers as he saw the forklift now head past the two guars. He ran to the end of the row and poked his head out, in time to see the forklift disappear into the cargo door of the ship. It took only a minute for it to return, but that minute tortured everyone, dreading the inevitable guard finding them lurking the shadows of the shipyard. The forklift drove away, gone of the crate it had been carrying, taking the same path it came by.

"Listen, we can't knock out, or kill, those two guards, that'd make it too obvious that something's gone wrong" He breathed quietly "We're going to move to the edge of these containers, then cause a distraction. When the guards are far enough away not to noticed, run to the ship". Tom explained it as simply as he could "Don't think, don't hesitate, just run and we'll all be okay". His words were more of reassurance to himself, but everyone nodded at the idea and followed him in his plan.

They all moved to the end of the container rows, the guards now almost close enough to touch, unnerving all of them but Tom, who steeled himself as he gently removed one of the candy bars from his pocket. He just needed to throw it hard enough and hope it landed where he wanted it to. He sucked in a deep breath and drew back his arm, lobbing the foil wrapped bar as hard as he could into the air. The silence that followed was terrifying, the object now spinning through the air, almost refusing to come back down. But within a second of waiting, a loud and dull clunk sounded through the yards. The two guards stopped in mid conversation, looking over towards where the bar had landed. One casually said they should check it out and walked off with his partner, resuming their talk of the Olivine Tauroses soccer team. Their steps got further and further until Tom saw them round the corner of the containers.

"Go!" He whispered urgently, his feet moving before he had finished speaking. Layla ran as best she could, her limp still weighting her down, Tom choosing to let her stick it out and matching her speed to stay beside her. Michael shot ahead of the two, his heart in his throat as he sprinted forward, pulse racing faster when he heard his feet hit the metal ramp and begin to send reverberating thuds through the metal. He saw nothing else but the darkness of the cargo hold in front of him as he ran, the lights becoming only dull shimmers as he threw himself forward. Will's joints ached from the sudden start, but he made it across with Michael. He almost found the situation, dare he say, exciting. It had been a while since he had truly gotten the adrenalin pumping through his mind.

Tom and Layla were the last to make it onboard, their feet thunking dully across the metal ramp. Tom ushered Layla in and turned his head to check outside. The two guards rounded the corner just as he did, making him yank his head back inside, swearing that one of the guards had glanced at him before he did. Michael and Will quickly waved him forward, running deeper into the dark cargo hold, darkness soon becoming an impenetrable veil. Tom ran alongside Layla, searching the darkness for any place to hide, but his eyes, despite adjusting for the darkness that enveloped them, could only make out small details. He saw the edges of tall, tightly stacked cargo containers against the hull, but nothing else.

Layla's sight was better, however. Her eyes soon illuminating the dark hold as if it were day. Streams of blue light coursed through the hold, flowing and twisting like a river around them all, The aura of the world. They soon came to a stop at the end of the hull, Michael with a thud as he impacted on the hard rusted wall climbing into the darkness, head spinning as he pulled himself up.

"Which way?" Michael panted, rubbing the pain from his skull, eyes scanning the blackness.

"I don't know, I can't see anything in this damn place..." Tom muttered, feet shifting as he swung his head around looking for a similar location. He froze as he heard a call echo into the hold.

"Yeah, I'll take a look...no, stay there and wait" The voice echoed. One of the guards stood in the entrance, a black silhouette against the light pouring into the hold, only to be stopped short by the shadows. His feet clunked on the floor as he entered, a small flashlight flicking on in his hand, throwing a beam of light through the hull.

"Dammit, move" Tom said quietly, starting off into the blackness against, weaving behind the rows of containers. He looked for anything, anything at all, that could help. He hadn't counted on this, it was an unplanned factor, something he hated.

"Over here" Layla called, breaking off from the group. No one could see where she ran, or where she was pointing, there wasn't much of a choice now. They followed her voice, edging along the ends of the containers, hearing her call. With a small spark, a soft blue light flickered into view only a few steps away, illuminating Layla's face. She stood by a container door left slightly ajar, holding the oily, slow burning flame of aura.

Without a word, they swung open the door and stepped in. The door creaked loudly, Michael's heart racing at the idea of the guard hearing that and running to them. Tom dragged the door shut again, the creaking louder this time, followed by a short clang as it slid into place, the hollow sound echoing through the space. The container was dark, hot and stuffy, smelling of stale water and iron. Michael moved to sit down but his hand brushed something warm. He turned and gasped as his eyes saw the form in the darkness. The outline of a person greeted him, shying away from his touch and shifting audibly. He stepped back a few paces, nearly striking out as a hand touched his shoulder. By now Tom and the others had noticed too, however, Layla stood stiffly, knowing what lay in here before entering but knowing she could still defend herself from it. The man laid a hand on Michael shoulder and turned him around to face him, the light from the aura ball Layla held throwing a soft light onto his old face. The old man had wild white hair and drooping eyes, his lips pursed tightly together. He silently brought a finger to his lips, glaring intently at Michael and the others, before moving back into the darkness and taking his place.

Michaels heart jumped again as he heard the steps coming down the rows of containers, the soft blue light swiftly extinguishing as Layla and the other stood as still a possible. The steps came closer, bringing a feeling of dread which settled over the entire closed space. A few of the people nervously shifted or whimpered slightly as the flashlight shone briefly over the door, sending a sliver of light through the opening. The moment seemed to last forever, although only a second or two, as the beam swept past and left, taking the haunting footsteps with it. A feeling of relief spread over the small collection of people, but the silence remained unbroken. The group awkwardly sat down against the door of the container, the lock having been oddly modified to open from the inside. Michael looked over the forms in the dark, all crammed into this one tiny container. His eyes could make out nothing, until a small lamp flickered to life from near the end of the area. The light was gentle enough as to not sting his eyes and filled the container with its yellow glow. All around him were people of all different ages and sizes. A number of trainers were among them, evident by the pokeballs clipped to their belts, but the rest were all just ordinary people, common in every way. Michael knew there was probably a story to each of them, something which drove them to these lengths. To smuggle themselves aboard a ship like this must have taken planning and money, most likely to those who knew how to run these operations. The old man who had greeted him before now sat silently by an old woman, her hair as white as his, skin pale and thin. They looked they like really weren't cut out for any of this, as if they had only the clothes on their back to keep them going. And if the price for them was the same and the price Tom had faced, it was probably true. The stale air was thick and smothering, smelling like some sort of festering disease the ship had taken on, but no one paid any attention. Everyone was far too busy just dealing with what they were doing or contemplating their futures, wondering what they would do after they left the ship, and hoping it came to that first.

It was a long night, and no one had anything to do. Boredom racked the container, sleep too hard to fall into and forget about it all. But as Michael, Tom, Layla and Will sat in the darkness of the vessel of their supposed salvation, time seemed to cease it's flow. In the darkness minutes became hours, or sometimes hours became seconds, and occasionally, it seemed as if both were true. The light burning near the back of the container had been shut off by the man who carried it, allowing others the scarce hope of sleep taking them. The darkness grew to be comforting, a sign of safety in the hostile vessel, one which made the occupants shy away from the light coming from under the door. Creaks and moans came and went as the ship gently floated, tossing and turning in it's iron slumber. The sound of footfalls from outside the container always brought dread upon the people, and they shushed any sounds, even breathing, that they made. But the footfalls always came and went without incident. Who, after all, would suspect one lone cargo container at the bottom of the end of a stack of hundreds of it's own kind to house so many desperate people looking for a ticket to theur loved ones or dreams?

The morning came with a long and drawn out creak, followed closely by an echoing smash. Some of the occupants looked up, others didn't bother. The sounds grew from creaks and moans of metal, to the harsh drone and chug of huge turbine engines. If anyone had been outside to see it, they would have realised that the ship had closed it's cargo door and was now slowly beginning it's journey. The ship was un-tethered from the docks and a small tugboat pulled it out of the harbour, dwarfing the ship in strength while the ship dwarfed it in size. With a slight lurch, amplified with how low in the ship they were housed, the sound of the oceans crashing waves filled the cargo hold. Some of the people gave silent gasps of relief, others stayed silent in hopes it wasn't a dream, and one or two wept at the prospect of going home. Michael, lying back against the cold wall of the container, had been staring at the same spot for hours on end, though he couldn't tell if they had been hours or seconds or even years. With the launching of the ship, he let out a shuddering breath of resolution. He knew that now, even though they knew nothing of how to escape this ship, it was his gilded prison which would lead to Melody. He looked over as he saw the man with the lamp had relit the gentle light, allowing his eyes to wander over the groups of people locked in with him. One boy was sitting with a tiny yellow mouse like creature in their lap, gently stroking it's fur while it slept. Only that boy and Tom were sitting with their Pokémon, the others choosing to keep them in their pokeballs, hoping not to cause any noise which could lead to discovery. Tom and Layla were both sitting against the door, as if guarding it like two stone statues who were once alive. They sat still, cross-legged with arms on their legs, Layla leaning her head against Tom's. Their eyes were closed in a light sleep, trying to rest as much as possible in the uncomfortable position, occasionally jostling lightly and cracking open an eye. Will was next to Michael, though he could hardly tell, as Will had been one of the few to attain the blessing of sleep. For the first few hours, or was it minutes? Will had been restless, fidgeting and trying to remain calm, fighting to keep his sanity in the black veiled boredom of the container. But occasionally the timelessness enveloped him too, and he had slipped into sleep at one point. Laying his head back against the cold, hard wall again, Michael closed his eyes.

The trip was long, sixteen hours of fighting the currents, hull silent all the while. For Michael, it was unknown when he had slipped into sleep, as the darkness around him matched the same one he would dream of. Only when he felt the sudden fall, the rush of wind and the blanket of warmth, did he know he was truly asleep again.

This time was different. He stepped down onto solid ground, carpeted with a rich red pattern. The room was dark but moonlight streamed through the window, soft breeze caressing his cheek and making him shiver slightly in the sudden chill. His mind soon turned to other things, wondering where he was now, how recent was this memory, and where could he find Melody in this new dreamscape. But as he turned and surveyed the room he had been dropped in, he found that this place was not new at all. The walls were solid wood, strong and glowing in the moonlight, while the window offered a great vista of the forest from above, where he could see moisture twinkling on the many blades of grass far below.

Looking around the room rapidly, he gasped as he saw her. Unlike in his previous dreams of searching and wandering, he did not have to move far to find what he sought. Behind him, bathed in the white glow of the moon, stood Melody, calm and serene. Her skin seemed radiant in the light, thin white bed sheet spread over her tender shoulders like a flowing gown. Her head was bowed slightly, as if she was waiting for something, eyes closed in patience as she waited out the night. Michael knew he could not feel her, and instead sat wearily on the unoccupied bed. He waited, the only sound in the room being Valerie's gentle breathing as she slumbered on the bed opposite. He did not notice her until she turned over, moaning gently in her sleep. Melody took no notice and stayed utterly still, shoulders rising and falling with each breath. With each second of silence, Michael's patience grew thinner. He wasn't a man who could not stand to wait, preferring to stay silent and calm until he obtained what he needed. But to be here now, with the one he loved so close and so real, it tortured him that she would not say a word.

"Speak..." He muttered despairingly "Some something...anything".

Melody didn't hear him, she never did when he was here. She just stayed stone still and waited, always waiting.

"Please talk to me...a word, a smile...anything..." He repeated, waiting for a reply that didn't come. Overcome with despair, he raised himself, and screamed at her "Talk to me!". He breathed shuddering and heavy breaths as his voice rang in his ears.

"...Michael..."

He heard her, he heard her voice. For the first time since he had seen her here, she had spoken.

"...I know...I know you're here...I've seen you" She said slowly "...I've seen you trying to find me...I know you can see me too". Michael almost wept as she spoke to him for the first time since she had left, as if he were right there beside her.

"I've been awake all night...saying this over and over every hour in hopes that you would hear it..." She croaked, her voice now breaking in near happiness at the thought he might be here. "I love you Michael, I want you to find me...please...I know it's far and you could be in danger...but please...come to Fortree...just come back to me". For every hour she had said his, and now he had heard it. The one short message that she could give to him no other way was enough for him to feel complete again. The words were spoken with such passion and loneliness that he almost fell to his knees just hearing them. But he caught himself, and with long strides, he stepped over to Melody and wrapped his arms around her intangible form, holding tightly to her as best he could. She stood silently in his embrace, knowing she had said the words that would be carried across time and space itself to the one she loved, who held her now, unknown to her.

Before the falling sensation once again took Michael, he softly planted a kiss on her forehead, hoping that somehow it would seal him in her memories. The blackness then took him, this time, without regrets.

Michael awoke to Tom shaking him gently in the dark, the only light coming from the small slit in the door and throwing light onto half of Tom's weathered face. Michael's haze of sleep was soon shaken out of him as he heard Tom's voice.

"It's been nearly sixteen hours" Tom explained, tapping his watch carefully "If we're getting off this boat, we need to do it now"

"How?" Michael asked groggily, rubbing the sleep from his eyes and rolling his aching shoulders, trying to dispel the pain of sleeping on hard metal for hours on end.

"I did some thinking" Tom said "Layla's idea of swimming to the shore may not be so bad, bt we have to find a way down into somewhere where we can jump off without killing ourselves"

"Couldn't we just take a lifeboat?" Michael asked, for once wishing to take the easy way out and hang the consequences.

"They would notice one had gone missing and we can't afford someone seeing us in one of them" Tom explained. He held out a hand and pulled Michael to his feet. "The best bet is to find some kind of hatch to the outside of the ship"

"Where would we find something like that?" Will spoke up from behind Tom. In the dim light Michael could see how his wispy white hair was even wilder and his skin was dirty with grime.

"I don't know. We find a map and maybe we can find a way" Tom said, walking over to the door of the container and fiddling with the reversed latch. The door creaked open with an ominous scraping and Tom poked his head out, looking each way before beckoning the others out. Michael made to move, but a hand grabbed his shoulder. He saw it was the old man, the one who had told him to stay quiet, who now held him. The old man shook his head and looked with almost pleading eyes, as if begging him not to risk it.

"...Sorry..." Michael whispered, moving away and letting the old man's grasp fall away, following the others into the blackness of the hold.

The hold was dark. Darker than the container had been and made worse by the groaning of the hull, reminding them that they were in the deepest part of the belly of the beast which they now tried to escape from. Layla was Tom's eyes as he led the crew through the dark hold, showing them the way to the side of the hull and then continuing on until they reached an exit. They approached the side of the hold which contained a door, which they hoped would lead upwards to the other decks, small lights breaking through the darkness. The lights were screwed into the wall, throwing the same dim yellow light which the container had been filled with only minutes ago, illuminating only a tiny part of the floor and letting the rest seem like an ocean of black. A small map hung on the wall beside the door, encased in plastic, which showed the various decks and told crew of their facilities. The hold was the lowest part of the ship, spanning the entire length as the final deck. Above it was the engine rooms, taking the rear of the deck with the crew quarters being in front. Above that were the services quarters, and above that were the passenger rooms. The top deck container services such as a restraint and small shop, and above that the bridge, but that was of little interest to Tom. He only wanted the lowest part of the ship which would be the likeliest to have some way out. His finger stuck on one area of the map, deciding their destination. The crew quarters. It was close to the bottom and would hopefully have latched windows, making for an easy dive down into the water. The only problem, which he explained to them, was that the crew quarters were most likely filled with sleeping crew members, hoping most would be relaxing while others worked their shift in the engine rooms and such.

The door was swung open, rusty handle taking a bit of effort to move and hinges screeching like a banshee as they were roused. Tom and Layla were again the two heading the expedition, Tom's reflexes becoming razor sharp and Layla's vision aiding in the low lighted areas. The group crept silently up the flight of stairs to the next floor, ignoring the warning signs and "Authorised crew only" displays. The second floor split into a junction at the stairs. One went left to the engine rooms while the other went right to where they wanted, the crew quarters. Tom shushed everyone, despite no noise being made, the tension gripping them all and stifling them, so that they would not draw attention. The door to the crew quarters were out of place on the wall of the junction hallway, being a clean painted white metal door with only small smudges of black to mar it's surface, seemingly maintained very well.

They stepped through the door, cursing the small creak it made as it swung on its hinges, scared that even one man may be roused from the rooms lining the deserted corridor. The long line of rooms was painted with white door and white walls, navy blue carpet stretching out along the floor. The light of the hall was near blinding as they came from the muted low power lighting into the sudden burst of 100 watt incandescent bulbs. With padded footfalls, trying to move as fast as possible without noise, they made their way along the corridor. Occasionally, the corridor split off into smaller corridors lined with the same rooms. They followed these smaller corridors until they were where Tom was sure to be the side of the ship. The only matter that now remained was to find an unoccupied room, which was easier said than done in this situation. They couldn't see into any of the rooms, all doors closed and any occupants hidden, making it difficult to find a room they could use. They waded up and down the corridor, knowing time was of the essence but too cautious to simply try to barge into a room, making everyone's mind grow more on edge with each passing footfall.

Luck smiled on them, for once, however, as the creak of a door sounded one of the crew leaving their cabin. Tom pulled the group back into a smaller hallway as he heard the sound, peeking around to see that the crewmember was, thankfully, heading off in the opposite direction, dressed in workman's overalls.

"Let's go" Tom whispered as the man rounded a corner at the end of the corridor, moving with haste to the door and yanking it open. The door creaked and protested with its screams but nobody minded as they swiftly moved inside, shutting the door tightly behind.

The room was cramped, with only a single bed and small set out draws underneath, a bedside light built into the wall. There was one window adorning the far wall, projecting twinkles of starlight which danced through the glass within the night sky. Tom yanked at the window, cursing as he found it bolted shut, meaning it was only meant to be a viewport. Smashing the glass was out of the question, no one could afford to shred themselves on the shards, especially with the salt water below. The bolts had no head with which a screwdriver or wrench could be levered into, and the metal was too thick to be pried off. His mind clicked as he remembered Layla, calling her to try what she had used on the fence while at the docks. Layla silently complied, realising the value of stealth and silence here, and placed her paws on the metal frame, once again letting the blue fire spread over it. But the metal did not crumble like the weakened chain link fence had done, the surface only becoming blackened with thick sooty powder.

"It isn't working..." Layla said, about to remove her hands. Tom touched her arm slightly.

"Keep trying" He said, noting how the soot became thicker as Layla held her paws to the metal ring. She gave him an odd look, but complied, continuing to let out a steady stream of concentrated aura.

The metal ring blackened further, but stayed rigid and immoveable. Will reached over as Layla was working and rubbed off a piece of the black powder, the material sliding over his fingers like sand as he stared out at. He lifted his finger to his nose and sniffed slightly, his eyes turning questioning as he looked at the black substance.

"It seems like Iron" He said, looking at Layla as more soot accumulated on the porthole, watching the fascinating swirling energy he knew made so little sense. He saw a chip of the blackened material fall away in a clump, speaking to Layla with realisation.

"Keep doing that" He said "Somehow, it's impossible by all means of common science, but you're turning that metal into some kind of iron oxide powder". Layla looked at Will oddly, not knowing what the elder was talking about when he told her of iron oxide powder. "Just keep going, you're weakening the metal" he settled on the simplest explanation.

The black expanse on the porthole kept growing, the glass soon beginning to shift in the new mould. But it was too slow for Tom, who knew that anyone could come through the door at any time. He tapped his foot, shuffled and paced in the little space he had for such things, trying, and failing, to calm his nerves. The Port hole wasn't even near halfway done by the time five minutes had past, and Tom could no longer stand by and wait for the blasted thing to rot. He nudged Layla slightly, letting her move away, looking at him oddly, wondering what he meant to do. Tom raised his leg and drove it hard into the edge of the porthole, the impact resonating with a loud ping and crack, but the porthole stayed in place. He kicked again, and again the porthole stayed still. Will was about to speak up against the outlandish and loud behaviour in a situation in which Tom himself had emphasised stealth, but stopped when he saw the black powder beginning to fall from the bolts of the porthole. With every strike, more would pour off, and soon, small chips of good iron began to crack and occasionally break off. Tom was panting with effort and his leg ached terribly from the rhythmic jarring, but he knew, despite scolding himself for this before what he knew would be a long, and likely cold, swim, that soon something would have to give. He just hoped Layla had weakened it enough for him to remove it. One of the bolts flung away from the porthole, soon followed by another, their ends slightly black and weakened. With one last kick, the porthole lost its second to last bolt, letting it swing like a pendulum out of the way, and leaving a gaping hole in the wall.

Tom breathed heavily, sticking his head out the window to try and sight land, the salty sea air helping to slightly re-energise him. The sky was darkened and the stars of the galaxy shone above them, resting like a crown over the shore ahead of them. Despite being able to see the shore, the distance was far greater than it seemed, and it would take them a long time to reach. Michael peered out the window through the gap Tom's head left, seeing the darkness of the churning ocean beyond. The time he had spent in the hold, the time spent in total blackness with only the occasional glimmer of light, was now as if he had simply frozen himself in time and only now stepped back into the present. Surely the day had come and gone already, it being late at night when they had finally smuggled themselves aboard the ship, and the day passing them without a drop of radiant sunlight to greet them in their dank prison down below. It was disorientating for it to seem like they had never moved at all.

"Right, the drop isn't too bad, just make sure to try and dive so you don't hurt yourselves" Tom said as he looked down to see the churning water below, sliced in two by the raging ship that ploughed through it. If the air was any indication of how cold it would be, Tom did not savour the thought of it. "You all go first, I'll be the last down".

Michael, Will and Layla were unsure about who was to go first. Layla was injured, and she hoped to go before Tom in case she hurt herself when she hit the water. Will did not like the idea of even sneaking on board in the first place, let alone abandoning ship in the most direct away possible. Michael hesitated, knowing the drop and cold could kill nearly all that lived out of such places. But something drove him to go first, striding over to the porthole without thinking, and without giving fear time to take a grip in his mind, and to ignore the salt wind that bit at his cheeks as he bent through the newly opened hole. The hole was small enough that he had to worm his way through, balancing precariously in the middle, mind racing as his weight slowly tipped his body forward and pulled it down. The fall was sudden as gravity took it's toll, as he felt his legs slip through the hole suddenly and his body begin to tumble into weightlessness. The fall was greater than anything he had done, and the longer he spent in the air the more the airy feeling in his head grew, soon filling his mind and feeling as if his skull would burst at the pressure of it. The impact of the water broke this feeling, the liquid feeling almost warm as it rushed over him and embraced him, before the chill bit at his skin like thousands of tiny teeth. The sting of the icy water was as if the ocean was trying to devour him alive, stripping flesh from bone. His flailing through the water soon brought him back to the surface, where the cold made him gasp sharply and convulse in the water as if to shake off the bitter feeling around him. He heard a second splash before he saw Will fall from the porthole, the ship now slightly further away. He forgot his cold and swam over to Will, who repeated the same sharp intake of breath he had when he had resurfaced. The old man was shivering profusely, his skins crawling with Goosebumps from the chill. A third and forth splash sounded one after the other, signalling Layla and Tom's arrival into the cold arms of the ocean.

Layla, despite her thick fur, felt the hard bite of the freezing water. Her leg dully ached in the water and any cuts that had not completely healed now stung like fire as saltwater cleansed them. Tom was beside her, both staying close as to make sure the other did not slip under. Tom kept his head above the water and called to the others as they gathered near.

"Now swim!" He said, his voice sounding oddly hollow in the silence that now surrounded them. There was no roar of the tides or rumble of the currents, only a lonely silence broken by the splashes as their arms pushed them forward and towards the distant shore. The sea breeze was not enough that it churned the oceans like a tempest, but left a hollow whistling in their ears and washed cold currents over their exposed bodies. The water seemed as if it had warmed, being like a relaxing bath compared to the wind which now assaulted them with taunting subtleness. Their arms and legs ached as they continued on, the water sapping their strength and eventually becoming like syrp for their limbs to slug through. Will was the frailest of them all, but kept his own for most of the trek. When he slipped under the water for a second, Michael put an arm under his, and tried to help guide him along. Layla's leg went from aching to numb to a great throbbing pain, and her cuts and bruises stun whenever water washed over them. Her thick coat was matted and water logged by now, acting as if it were a lead weight for her. Her kind did swim in the lakes when possible, and were adept at catching fish that swam through the rivers, but this was something her kind was not built for. The water suffocated her and stole her warmth. Tom was stoon forced to carry her as best he could in the nearly bottomless ocean, dragging her onto his back where she held around his neck with her arms. Her kicks helped movement, but came at the price of hot pain that did not serve to even warm her up.

Time was lost to them as they swam and by the time their feet touched solid sand beneath the now forming waves an eternity could have passed and they would have believed it. The waves lifted them off their feet, tumbling their bodies, too tired and cold to fight it, to the shore. They were thrown harshly onto the sand, left panting as the water receded, only to wash over them again like a lapping dog. Michael's hair had fallen over his eyes, being both drenched in dire need of a cut now, and blinded his vision. Will was almost a vision of death, made real by the pale starlight which shone down on his now blue tinged skin and quivering frame. Tom's muscles burned from effort, having not completed a marathon the like of that in years. He felt the weight on his back, no longer clinging to him but lying in exhaustion. Layla's head rested against the soaked fabric of Tom's shirt, breath coming in gasps as the wind ruffled her drenched fur which served little purpose now.

They lay there for a few minutes until Michael found the strength to push himself up, dragging Will onto his shoulders. Tom did the same, Layla protesting she would walk with them and standing shakily on her feet. Michael began their trek down the beach, sand flowing in from of them to meet only dark cliffs which stretched far too high for them to be scaled. The sand sparkled in the starlight and the ambience around them had become a symphony of roaring waves, shifting sand and gently whistling wind. It would have seemed beautiful if it weren't so harsh against their wet skin as they trudged on.

Camp was set up near the base of a cliff inside a small indent which would shield them, although only marginally, from the gentle breeze and cool nights air. There was no fire to warm them. Impossible with the lack of tools or materials, and in the wet state everyone happened to be in, and, to Will's disappointment, aura fire was in no ways warm or comforting. The night passed restlessly, with constant waking to the call of a wild Pokémon near the shore or a particularly cold wind bellowing through the small cavern. Although it seemed cruel to do so, Layla and Tom held on to each other through the night, for warmth, they insisted, which let them slowly regain the feeling in their limbs that had been once numb from sheer cold. Will had been huddled close to the wall, trying his best to escape the cold, his old, thin veined hands trembling. Michael stayed awake, the cold seeming secondary to him as a great relief and longing came over him. He wanted to leave the cave, run to fortree and find Melody, to hold again through the night. But it was clear that no one was fit to travel right now.

The cave was left but no one was any better. The sleepless night had felt more tiring than walking to Fortree immediately, with the constant waking and turning on hard rocky floors. Will seemed pale, his skin thinner and more translucent than before. He shivered when the wind blew against him and seemed as if he would topple over, or snap, like the lightest twig. Layla's leg ached less from the cold and now more from the walking, growing more painful with each step. The medicine which she had been taking to dull the pain had been lost in the ocean, tablets utterly dissolved in Tom's pocket as the ocean swept them to shore.

They carried on around the coast, rock cliffs towering above them with no steps carved or ways to traverse the rock face. The longer they walked, the more they thought they had been stranded on the edge of paradise in an eternal purgatory of watching the trees dance hauntingly above the heavenly cliff tops. It took half a day of travel before they reached a dock, in which steps were carved into the rock face which led onto a path surrounded by great green grass and forestry. They had asked a young woman sitting on the dock where this was, and she had told them

"The dock to mount Pyre" she had told them, almost happy when she told them "It's the resting place of all Pokémon spirits in Hoenn". Dressed in deep purples and black, she seemed oddly gothic, yet her smile said otherwise.

They travelled wordlessly for the next day. The silence was almost comforting, and breaking it, it seemed, would shatter the world around them as if it were the frailest porcelain. Michael's vision now drove him harder than ever before, having seen her and now knowing he was close. He was so close he could almost feel her there with him, but almost wasn't good enough. He wanted touch her, to hold her and to feel her again. The only time they stopped was when their hunger became far too great for them to bear. Tom, thankfully, had managed to hold on to a small stash of candy bars from a day ago when they were hundreds of miles across the sea in Johto. They ate them silently and thankfully, and Layla, who wasn't thrilled by the taste of chocolate on her canine pallet, instead searched the forest for food. They were all called when she had found a small creek, explaining how her tribe always knew that creeks and rivers flowed to the sea and it was their route when travelling up to and down from the mountains. She stood in the river catching, with bare claws, reflexes near instantaneous, oddly coloured fish. The fish themselves were Pokémon, but with how underdeveloped they were compared to Layla and Melody, it was not surprising they were eaten as food. Tom tried to catch the fish with her, not caring for his clothes after they had remained damp from the sea. He stood with her, thrashing and striking, trying to hit something other than a rock than nearly broke his hand. They laughed at their efforts while Will and Michael sat in the warm Hoenn sun, the air humid with the smell of the forest on its back. Tom and Layla for the first time in what seemed to be an age, sparred with each other. But it was less of a spar and more of a playful scuffle after jabbing the others fishing abilities. None the less, they found it enjoyable to move swiftly and fall through the cool creek water, trying to best each other at every turn. Layla's leg was down to a dull ache that was more annoying than it was crippling, the cool water of the creek soothing it in a way that the icy waters of the ocean refused to.

It didn't matter how wet the other became, because as they walked the sun dried their clothes and Layla's fur, leaving it comically bushy from the lack of care. They walked close to Will, who was regaining colour from the exertion the day before, but still faintly weaker than he should have been. His skin was still paled and he shivered even in the sunlight, body aching all over and forehead feeling hot to the touch. He insisted he could rest once they were at Fortree, which was now only a short way from. Through the puddles of recent rainfall and over the bridges of the main river, encountering trainers who seemed annoyingly determined to try and battle Layla, who was surely a rarity for their sight. Tom was imposing enough to scare them off when they became too determined, and Layla knew she could dispatch of any Pokémon sent at her fast enough for Tom to "dissuade" the trainer from continuing.

As the sun set and the wind grew crisper, the great city came into vision. From Michael's vision now painted into reality, they saw trees which towered above the forest; huts nestled around the solid shafts of hardwood. Smoke curled from the chimneys of the huts and the leaves around the walkways above the canopy swayed in the breeze. The smoke grew thicker as they approached, billowing black and oily through the air. Michael became uneasy as he saw this. A feeling gnawed at his gut and he grew anxious, waiting for something to happen or someone to say something. The smoke poured thicker into the sky and he received no answer for the anxiety he felt. His pace quickened as he wordlessly advanced, soon growing to a run and then a sprint as he felt the city call to him from behind dark shifting clouds. The calls of Tom for him to wait for them all were drowned out by the rushing of wind in his ears as he moved towards where Melody was waiting.

All was not right in Fortree.


	20. Chapter 20

As Michael drew closer to Fortree, the smell of acrid smoke began to hang heavy in the air. Burnt oak and charred wood wafted through the air, light ash beginning to coat the ground as he ran, looking like snow. His heart tore when he saw the first of the large tree trunks down the path. It was black, charred and still smouldering, emanating heat like a fevered wound. Michael begged that this wasn't happening, that this must have been an accident. Finally, breaking into the clearing which signalled the end of the path and the start of the city, he witnessed the great scene of carnage for himself. Blackened trees and splintered wood, some still burning. People ran about, dousing flames and dragging the injured away from the damaged areas. Pokémon of all kinds assisted them, some launching large jets of water to quench the still burning fires while others passed supplies and carried belongings rescued from the disaster. One youngster turned to him, who could not have been older than ten, yet his clothes were singed and he lugged a pail of water in hands. The young boy called and ran to him, water from the pail sloshing over his clothes as he strained to hold the weight.

"Mister! Take this! Take this!" The boy called, almost throwing the pail at Michael, now only half filled with water. "nurse says everyone has to help!". And with that, the boy ran off, leaving Michael with the pail. Michael was tempted to throw down the pail and charge through the fire, looking for any sign of Melody and Valerie, who could be anywhere in the inferno. He lowered the pail and took two steps towards the ladder nailed to the trunk of one tree, readying to abandon this and climb to her.

A great cracking and earth quaking thud shook him back to reality, a thick branch having given under the strength of the flames and crashed down to the earth. Without thinking, he ran to where a small group of people were fighting a particularly large blaze consuming a tree trunk, a small hut supported on the very top. He threw the water and ran back, sighting the boy at a small pump where he was again struggling to lift the pail to carry to the next person. A large hand grabbed the pail from the boy, belonging to a large panting red haired man who the boy had not seen before. He smiled, an odd gesture for such a time, and ran to repeat his task of fetching pails of water. Tom didn't question Michaels actions now that he was seeing the scene for himself. The fiery blaze still roared over large areas, but it had obviously been fought well and was now losing the battle. Running alongside Michael, leaving Layla to support Will who was trembling in exhaustion, and heaving the water against the trunks of flame. This went on for half an hour before all the fires were extinguished, and even then the heat still radiated from the blistered tree trunks and charred remains.

Everyone was visibly tired, burned or worse. Some of the men who had fought the fire beside him now had red blushed faces, skin burned by intense heat. Tom sported a small patch of blisters on his arm where he had feel against a burning trunk, but was otherwise unharmed. As they regroup and Michael regained his bearings, reality suddenly crashing back down on him from the adrenalin high, he took in the condition of everyone. Tom's blistered arm, Layla's slight gait, but most noticeably, Will's pale and near translucent skin hanging from his body. The man looked like a vision of death, white and supported by invisible chains which choked his life. As Layla supported the swaying Will, Michael dragged the group over to where the people were congregating, which was the only undamaged building in the town. The Pokémon centre stood like a brick, concrete only blackened here and there but otherwise sturdy, possessing fortitude the wood of the trees had not. The massive throng of people gathered in front of the building were tough to push through, standing looking almost like lost sheep, they only took notice of the group when they passed by. Some conversed and others talked openly of what to do, but most stood in silent contemplation of this great disaster. The glass doors slid open as they approached, breaking through the crowd of people to where a small group of nurses were attending people being brought through the crowd. The woman who noticed them, middle aged with bright blonde hair tied into a bun, gave the same apologetic look she had given all the others who had come to them, but her eyes held genuine concern and slight interest that Wills injury was not like any of the others she had seen today.

"Oh, what has happened to him?" She asked as she examined Will, shivering and weak. "This can't have been from the fire, could it?"

"No...He's been weak for the last few days" Michael said, remembering how Will had lagged behind the rest, wearing moving with the devil on his back.

"Bring him inside, he's got the chills and looks like he'll collapse soon..." She said, guiding them into the Pokémon centre.

Inside were a number of people all injured in their own ways and resting their damaged bodies. Most only carried cuts, burns or broken bones, but three people lay in beds set up by the wall, eyes closed and breathing shallow as they were monitored by a single nurse jumping back and forth between them all. The centre was small, not nearly as big as the one which they had seen in Ecruteak. No rooms and no lodging, it was not a proper hospital and only meant as a small outpost for healing Pokémon. Past the people, the nurse led them, settling Will down on a free bench and looking over him. She asked him how he felt, where it hurt and what had happened. Will mumbled, almost incoherently, the answers to these questions as the others looked on. Michael's mind itched desperately to ask what had happened, even with Will like this and the time not right, he needed to know. The felt her, close by but dreaded it would come from the where the flames had eaten through the town.

"What happened?" He asked "Why was there a fire, it was an accident? Please, was it an accident?". The nurse didn't know why he was being so insistent on that scenario and answered

"A group of men came during the night, aqua and magma troops, wanting supplies. We refused but they attacked anyway, even though they didn't have any Pokémon" She said "Oh it was horrible, they had those guns which even the police don't carry. They started shooting through windows and houses. They set fire to the city and dragged away anyone who they caught.". She paused and grimly pointed to the young boy who had handed Michael the pail, now swinging his legs innocently ona seat as he waited patiently. "That poor boy. He doesn't even know his mother is missing. She was taken after he ran and he's waiting for her to come and find him..."

"...Who-who was taken?" Michael asked, again distracting the nurse from her examination

"Anyone they found, they didn't care if-" She said, Michael cutting her off

"Is there a girl here? Long brown hair travelling with m-...a Gardevoir?" He said quickly and annoyedly. He didn't want to mince word now, not now.

"I saw them before, you don't see many Gardevoir, very rare Pokémon that." She said "But that was a night ago, she was in the-"

"Are they here now?" Michael cut in again, agitation growing in his tone

"There are a lot of people here, maybe they ran with the rest of the-"

"No! Are they here, do you know!" Michael said, panic in his voice that she had been snatched away, again.

"Calm down lad" Tom said sternly "It's no use if she doesn't know"

"But she saw them, she said she was rare, why would she not notice them!"

"I'm sure it was dark and she didn't have time to, is that right?" Tom asked, turning his eyes to the nurse who was still being delayed in her work.

"Thank you and yes" She said sternly "I was trying to get away myself, but after those troops went away, I found myself back here again. Almost everyone is trying to help"

"...so how many are injured?" Tom asked gently

"Look around you" the nurse said, gesturing to the bandaged people sitting around them. "Only those three were critical when they came in. Two of them were hit in the crossfire, one inhaled too much smoke.". Tom looked over the group. For a town this size it was fortunate not many had been severely injured.

"Has this happened before?' he asked

"Well, they did lurk around the town before, but they never approached...everyone coming in says they have a camp south of Fortree" she was wrapping Will in a thick blanket now, even though it did nothing to quell his shivering.

"A camp?" Michael asked, probing for clarification

"Didn't hear it yet? I don't blame you. Aqua and magma finally took over Mauville a few days ago, we only head because a few people managed to escape" She said, sadness crossing her face as she remembered all the bleeding and broken people who had come to Fortree after the mass exodus of Mauville. "They finally moved across to us after that, since they don't have to worry about the forest around Fortree."

"Where is the camp?" Michael asked, although it sounded more like a fierce demand than a question.

"People say they've taken over the Palkian temple only a while out in the forest. Oh, those poor monks, we had a few come here with the news." She said. She gestured to one man in the crowd outside who stood out from the rest, shaved head and wearing a cloth robe, holding a small chain of wooden beads in his hand, he looked to be around sixty. "He was practically in tears when he told me what had happened, they devote themselves to that place, you know." Tom could sympathise with the monk at the very least. The man had lost his home, the house of his doctrine of faith, just as Tom had so long ago. Monks were amount the most dedicated of religious orders, so the loss must have been even greater than Tom could imagine to the poor man.

"Your friend here is rather sick" She said finally. "Did he fall in the water or anything?"

"Well, we had to swim across a river yesterday" Tom said, Will doing his best to emit a scoff through the chattering teeth. A million litres of freezing salt water a river did not make.

"Oh dear, I thought it was something like that. He's very weak now, probably his age" She explained as she looked over Wills features, which now seemed ancient with the sickness he was afflicted with. "He's suffering from mild hypothermia, and possibly a cold or virus caused by it, but he's lucky it's only mild. If he stays here for a while and keeps warm, he'll start to improve."

"That's good to know" Tom said, throwing a look in Michael's direction. It definitely was good to know when he saw the calculating look on Michaels face. The boy was going to suggest the stupid and irrational, that they storm the encampment and find Melody. That was the only thing he seemed to think of now, and it was not something he would be deterred in.

"Is there anywhere we can stay?" Michael asked, the ideas still turning in his head. Ideas of desperation and of revolution fuelled by desire and need.

"Well, the Pokémon centre lodge was nearly destroyed in the fire...but you can stay here if you can find a space. Best get it before others do" She said "This man will be staying here anyway, he needs rest for a while"

Michael walked off wordlessly, leaving Tom to thank the woman and chase after him. For nearly three hours they walked around the charred remains of Fortress, discovering most of the town set up inside the gym, which was also on the ground and nearly undamaged. The townspeople ignored them as they all attended to their own things, everyone having something to do, someone to help or someone to mourn over. Michael asked them, almost every one of them, if they had seen Valerie and Melody. But as far as the townspeople knew, they were nowhere to be seen. A few suggested they had ran from the attack, others saying they might have been captured. But when one man mentioned they could be dead, Michaels heart fell. It hurt so much to hear those words being uttered, that Melody, Valerie, the two of the, could have died just out of grasp. They were directed to the burial site, where cloth covered bodies lay on the dew covered grass, seeming utterly at peace in the charred and broken area. Few where there, Michael only counting the bodies of four humans. But so many more were Pokémon. A calm seemed to settle over them as the setting sun bathed the area in oranges hues reminiscent of the great blaze hours ago. Despite this, the smell of death faintly in the air, that one smell that no one can describe but all know what it means.

The Pokémon had helped to defend the town, they said. Fighting off the gunfire with great talons or swaths of flame, water or razor edged leaves. But in the end, many had lost their lives, ripped to shreds by automatic gunfire. It was something the town was not used to, the death of one Pokémon being a tragedy to most trainers and those around him, but the small scale genocide which they now faced made them numb with shock. Michael was allowed small peaks under the cloth wrapping, but after a few looks at the mutilated bodies, he refused to see anymore. He only scanned the cloths, looking for any sign of the long flowing gown or green hair he had once held. It was with a bitter relief that after walking through the rows of deceased Pokémon, he found neither. He nearly fell to the ground, knowing that he was not gone to heaven, but also in knowing that she could still be alive and trapped in a terrible hell. They left the graveyard that cold evening, the music of shovels on graves pouring over their ears.

That night was spent in quiet contemplation for Michael, secluded in the warm Pokémon centre, shuffled to the side in a hard plastic seat. There is a point where a person becomes so worried and devastated that they feel nothing but calm, their mind freeing itself by knowing that things couldn't make a difference if made worse. His mind became a maelstrom of unorganised thoughts, half formed plans and broken longing. All this way he had come, risked his life and the lives of others just to get here, and now his goal, the only reason he was still here despite his urge to simply lay down and die, was now locked away from him. His thoughts burned through his head, leaving trails of incomprehensible words and struggles in his mind, his face contorting in near pain at the failure to grasp anything and everything. He swore, he cursed, despite his calm state of mind, coming out weakly and without much feeling behind them.

"Troubled, brother?" Came a voice, seeming like a blessing in the way to cut the chain of thoughts from his mind. Michael turned to see the same old monk as before, aged eyes seeming to droop as if closed, still dressed in his robes and holding a small prayer bead. His smile was one of sadness and peace.

"It's just a small problem; I'll figure it out..." Michael said. Despite his dismissal, it didn't stop the aged monk from taking a seat beside him, hands settling on his legs and head bowed

"One doesn't free himself of worry without freeing himself of the thoughts that worry him" The monk said thoughtfully "Tell me what is troubling your mind, and maybe I shall help". Michael was not one to openly reveal his concerns, but the monk sounded sincere enough in his wizened tone that he decided for once it may help.

"I've travelled...a long way to get here" Michael began "I went through hell, and probably put others through it too so I could arrive here...A I really put others through hell..." Michael thought of the weight he must be putting on Will, Tom and Layla simply by continuing this journey. He seemed nothing but a nuisance, the only thing holding the others back in getting on with their lives.

"Seeking something are you?" The monk asked "A journey is not made for no reason even if a person doesn't understand the reason"

"I...I was looking for a girl...I helped her when all of this started" Michael said "I mean, the portals. She came through one and...Well, I couldn't leave her when she I knew she wouldn't survive. We got separated by an accident, and now I'm trying to find her..."

"Hm...And how far has the road been?" the monk asked, thinking deeply as Michael told him the story

"Longer than any I've ever travelled...I need to find her..."

"Why?" The monk asked strangely. Was it not obvious to him that the girl was a lover? An aged man like him would surely know of this, or at least understand the compassion involved.

"Because I need her. I love her" Michael said, spelling it out for the old man

"Why do you love her?" again the man asked why.

"Because I..." Michael stopped to think for a moment. The question was so simple yet the answer was so vague. It wasn't one thing he loved her for, surely. But was the monk asking for the root? "I helped her...she helped me. I want to stay with her, to care for her now"

"But she has repaid herself, restoring the balance" The monk said "Why do you still add to your debt?"

"It's not a debt. It's...it's just that I love her. She's amazing, she knows me and I know her...why else would I come all this way..." Michael paused. Those last words...why would he come all this way?

"Why, indeed" the monk said, amused smile on his face as if he had just won a victory.

"...I came all this way because...I do love her" Michael put his head in his hands. "I do...I really do. It's not an illusion, i know it's real..."

"A man's doubt is his greatest enemy, greater than swords or fire. Only when you best yourself can you best doubt" The monk quoted, again drawing from his teachings and observations from a learned and philosophical life. "You love this girl, and you come all this way to prove it, do you? Maybe you thought she didn't love you, or you didn't love her. So why are you here?"

"...I need to tell her, show her and hold her. She needs to know I promised...I promised to prove I loved her" He said, choked by his own happiness.

"And will you let this stand in your way?" The monk asked "The final test in your journey is here isn't it? And have you not swum so far from the shore that you cannot turn back to see it anymore?" Michael sat in silence now, long hair now fallen over his eyes and obscuring the new bound epiphany he experienced. "So tell me of his girl, what visible beauty has entranced you?"

"Well...she has deep red eyes...silky hair, green like the grass. Her dress flows like moonlight" He chuckled, his worry vanished as he talked of Melody "Her voice is music and she doesn't have to smile to tell me how she feels...". The monk raised a brow but the smile remained on his face. The boy was turning out to be something he had not expected.

"And does she float like the wind when she walks? Know what you're thinking and feel like you feel?" He asked slyly.

"...all those things, yes" Michael answered, still soothed by the thought of her.

"Maybe I ask...are you one of...well, you are human no doubt, but if I may put it crudely, not of our world?" The monk asked knowingly. Michael's worry spiked through the calm for a second, but faded when he decided it would not matter if this old man knew of the truth.

"Yes, I came through one of those portals, I was born into the other world..." He answered, his voice carrying a distance of a thousand miles from home.

"The girl was not of your world either, is she not?" He pushed, but not in an arrogant way, sounding more like a comforting father speaking to his son.

"No, she...she's from Hoenn" Michael answered

"And, my final question to you about this girl who you have travelled to prove yourself to, is this girl not of your being either?" He asked, ceasing his masked questions to assess his suspicions.

"Not of my..." Michael wondered out loud, wondering what the man meant, but having the sharp notion at the back of his mind that he knew, and this would stall for time.

"One of nature, of this worlds nature, who share the same family as that of Palkia himself." The monk said, equally cryptically "Brother, a Pokémon"

Michael looked for a way out of answering. He was not ashamed to admit it, but the monk was a devout keeper of a temple of Pokémon. His actions would be sacrilege, his motives of sin, his whole obsession and love of Melody an abomination. And yet he smiled as he asked with no ill intent behind it, carrying all the familiarity of a grandfather to many children.

"It is not uncommon, brother, it is something celebrated by the temples. For what is a human but a more advanced Pokémon? From Mew we descended and grew to prosper, shedding the ways of Pokémon ancestors and creating a new culture of many, but all stemming from one" he said warmly "With human moral issues and human nature, most do not reveal this about themselves, but the temple is always open to those who choose to love one the same as them in their own eyes"

"...how did you know?" Michael asked in defeat, but comforted by the monks lack of malice

"This girl of green hair and a musical voice with a dress like the moon, commonly seen around the temple as it is a peaceful place and a sanctuary where no Pokémon may be captured, is one who knows the peace of the people and the place as they do, the wild tribes of Gallade and Gardevoir" He said learnedly, having been close to Pokémon since his acceptance as a monk and knowing the peace that came from living in unity with them. He gave a short laugh as he added "and you just told me, brother"

Michael did not say anything but could not help to laugh at the monk's subtle benevolent trickery. And it felt good to laugh in these dark times.

"I suppose you're going to suggest an assault on that place?" Tom said exasperatedly as he watched Michael approach. Michael now lacked the slump he had walked with all this time, as if holding the weight of the world on his back. It may have been two worlds, in reality, but not anymore. His face held determination as strong as steel and his eyes fiercely burning like molten iron. It was a state Tom had not often seen the boy in, and truly this was the strongest he had ever displayed, the look and the walk of a man with a purpose. Layla smiled proudly as she watched him, knowing he now carried himself with the will of a fighter, even though he had the experience of a novice. She would know him more soon, hopefully, and see what this new warrior was capable of when defending one of her pack.

"We've been through this before, and we've never failed" Michael said with a confidence and optimism that was not usually in his nature "You tell me what the odds are"

"Well...they're untrained...and from what I've been told they do have a hastily set up encampment...but they outnumber us" Tom said, knowing that with their training it probably didn't matter, he had enough experience to kill them easily if he was given the right weapon. "But they have guns, we lost everything when we came here. Right now we're unarmed...". In reality, Tom knew it was likely going to be easy if they found any way to get their hands on a spare gun of the right calibre, and to his irritation, he already had a good idea of how to do it.

"Then we find our own weapons, anything will do. A knife, a club, anything that we can use to get a gun from one of them" Michael said, spelling out one of Toms simplest plan , yet probably the most effective given the situation, he had thought of. "If we can do something like we did back in Hoenn sneaking around the guard, then we can just jump the guard this time"

"It shouldn't be that easy, someone could easily notice...and they'd have more than one guard on duty" Tom said, sighing as he knew there was no winning the argument "Look, if we're going to go through with this then we could at least scout out the area first. We don't have the foggiest idea of what the place is like"

"Neither do they, but we have a monk from the temple that would know the layout, and that means we know where to attack" Michael said. All these words like attack, sneaking and guard had no place in his mouth, and even though he knew it, it had to be said. This one time was the time he would break free of the calm and passive persona, breaking into planning and leadership of a small guerrilla group, for the sake of Melody and Valerie.

As Tom was about to rebut the argument, rather futilely in his own knowledge, a young man, carrying three pokeballs strapped to his belt and wearing green pants and shirt under a thick travelling trench coat to shield from the cold wind, approached and spoke up.

"If you're doing this, I want in" He said simply. Tom scowled at the insolent young lad who wore a confidant expression, looking as if he was itching for action. The boy possibly had no idea of the danger they would face, or if he did, didn't seem to care. Tom had only seen the boy when he re-entered the centre, sitting despondently on one of the mattresses set down on the floor, but had taken little notice of the boy with his head tilted and sitting so still.

"It's not polite to listen to others conversations lad" Tom said sternly, adding "And I hope you'll keep quiet about the deal if it goes through"

"Well, now that I've heard anyway, why not let me onboard?" He asked confidently, but with a certain desperation Michael noticed, but unable to place where it lay.

"What could you do for us? Do you know you could literally die in an instant if you aren't careful?" Tom said

"My team packs a nice punch, beat the gym leader here before...well, all this happened" the boy said with a twinge of pain in his eye "They're powerful enough to take down anyone with a gun"

"But what about fifty? And we are not planning a full assault" Tom said, shooting a glare at Michael "If we do this, we do with carefully, planning each step as we go, alright?" He thought himself crazy for planning to do this, but the satisfaction of finally reaching the person they had travelled so far for, and the chance of the restoration of Michael's spirit, was enough that it pushed him to planning the attack. "Now, what can you do for us that won't involve slaughtering one or two of them before your Pokémon are inevitably killed by massive amounts of gunfire?". The boy recoiled slightly at the idea of the death of his team, the reality of the situation sinking in, but his slight shock was quickly replaced by the same competent mask.

"My Ghastly can sneak around, and he won't be affected by bullets, he can goes through walls and I think the same goes for anything physical" The boy explained "It can hypnotise people too, that might work"

"indeed it might" Tom said, the idea of hypnosis working his way into the plans already, and playing quite a large role at that. "One isn't enough, what else can you do?"

"Well, my Muk is toxic enough to-" The boy was cut off as Tom spoke again

"No, what can _you_ do?" He asked specifically. The boy was about to answer, but nothing immediately came to mind. He thought hard, scratching his barren mind for an answer, but nothing came. It was more disheartening than he had thought it would be to find himself useless and unneeded while a team does his work for him. Tom sighed and begrudgingly continued

"See, you're useless without those Pokémon, it's too much to rely on" Tom said, motioning to the pokeballs lining the boy's belt. "But can you aim?"

"You mean...with a gun, right?" the boy asked. He had never used a gun, his ranger cousin Rodney never used a gun, and even his aunt with the police had hardly touched one.

"Yes, with a gun" Tom confirmed tiredly. The kid was not experienced in anything but leadership in combat, making it all the harder for Tom to believe this would work

"...Would I have to shoot someone?" he asked, knowing the answering and knowing how stupid the question was

"Most likely. You might not have to if it goes well, but prepare yourself to kill someone if needed" Tom said hardly, sparing no sugar to sweeten his words with. The boys face contorted with a mixture of emotions, mind visibly reeling in an attempt to decide whether to bail out or not. Finally he came to the conclusion.

"Yeah...I can aim" He said.

"Why do you want to help?" Michael asked, letting the boy turn to him and eye with oddly "Why risk your life for something which isn't your battle?"

"...it is, they took something from me like they did everybody" He said, tone growing grim and losing its previous smugness. His hand brushed unconsciously over the forth clip on his belt which held no pokeball. The answer was good enough for Michael, despite Tom's thoughts that larger numbers would only hinder them.

"...fine" Tom finally conceded, turning to the boy "Have a knife on you by chance?". The young removed a short knife held in a black sheath from one of his trench coat pockets, handing it to Tom as he held out his hand. Tom examined the knife, removing the sheath to see it must be a standard hunting and survival knife, small but very sharp and very reliable. He flicked the knife through the air for a second before sheathing it and hooking it onto his belt.

"It'll work, and loose the coat, it's too heavy" Tom said. "What's your name, lad?

"Mattias...I'm from Kanto, it's not a common name here..." He said

"Mattias, alright then" Tom sighed, looking out the double doors to see the sun had set and the darkness was fresh. He thought of the sleepless night ahead, spent again on a battlefield where death was a covered landmine waiting to be trod on.

The four of them left Fortree under cover of darkness, making their way silently past the trainers and Pokémon who slept on the floor of the quiet and peaceful Pokémon centre. They stepped out into the darkness, letting the cold night wind whip against their faces as the door opened, smelling of pine and ash. The town was dark and silent, not a single leaf stirring, all burnt away from the surrounding canopy. Will was still asleep, knowing of their plan but telling them

"I'm far too weak, both in health and in battle prowess. I'll stay here; I would just be a hindrance"

Michael had agreed, knowing that Will needed the rest to regain strength of which the hypothermia had sapped him. Will was the one who had advised them to wait until deep into the night, despite Michael's pleas to simply go and get it done. Tom had seen the desperation Michael held and agreed to simply get it over with, but Will had objected and forced Michaels hand in the matter.

"It will do nothing to rush in right now. If the group is as small as we've been told, then they won't have many to patrol in the shifts, will they?"

Tom had, for one of the few times, commended Will on the analysis and strategy of his plan. The monk had told them of the layout of the temple, which Tom analysed while Will considered the logical odds. The monk had not asked why they needed the information, but a knowing glance to Michael told Tom that he had an idea. If anything, the monk was thankful for the men trying to liberate the temple, even though fighting in such a sanctuary, to humans and Pokémon alike, was horrific to him.

They made their way down the beaten path which many trainers had travelled before, tall pine trees bordering the forest and scenting the air. Tom and Layla took the lead, while Michael and the new trainer Mattias followed close behind. Layla's leg had more or less completely healed, still feeling a bit brittle to walk on, but it caused her no pain to move around quickly and effectively. Tom was amazed at the time in which she had recovered, being far shorter than it would take a human to recover from a fractured leg. He guessed the medication, combined with some kind of Pokémon healing factor, was to thank. Michael grew more anxious with every step, feeling the bond between Melody and him which had been inactive for so long, growing more connected with each step. It felt like a tug at his mind, urging him closer to where she was, making him recall the young Kadabra's explanation that trying to run away from each other while bonded was futile, their link always drawing them back together. He wondered if Melody could feel it too. They turned from the dirt path, finding the large white stone by the forest which the monks had left to mark the entrance to their trail. Starting into the woods, they were immediately surrounded by towering trees, holding back the light of the moon and shrouding them in darkness. The darkness seemed chilling as they advanced, like they were walking through some place untouched for century's, gnarled roots grabbing at their feet and the whistling of the wind running alongside them with every step. The path was hard to make out, even without the darkness, and Michael got the feeling that not many monks left the temple after dedicating themselves to it, even for a short while. The dirt was loose below their feet, scattered with moss roots and pine needles. Layla's vision guided them, red eyes cutting through both the dark and the veil which cloaked the aura flow of the world to their untrained eyes. She saw the trees rise above them, great pillars of burning blue energy which pulsed along with the beat of life itself, aura flowing along their roots and into the ground where it joined an ocean of the same light.

Layla put an arm out, stopping Tom from advancing along with the others. She could see a great cluster of aura ahead, the energy flowing far quicker and wildly than any of the ancient trees of the forest.

"They are ahead" she said "I can't see much now, but they are there". Tom nodded silently and pushed them all closer to where Layla indicated. The light was visible from between the trunks of the trees now, throwing harsh white shafts through the forest, making everything else fade into black, the trunks now only indicated by the white border around their edges. They moved slower now, creeping closer and trying to stay behind the trunks of the trees to avoid any detection.

Tom looked out through the trees, his eyes adjusting to the light and letting him see into the encampment. It was not impressive. The camp was rushed and unorganized by the looks of things, with chain link fences lining the border which perched on concrete blocks, only an opening in the fence for a gate. A few portable shacks had been set up, obviously towed by vehicle into the area along with portable toilets by the fence, which stood by the main body of the temple. The temple itself was the most impressive thing all, dwarfing the rest of the shoddy encampment in both size and beauty. A stone fountain covered in moss and a green film stood in the centre of the camp, multi levelled with twisting paths for the water to flow from each one, flowers and colourful plants circling it in a mosaic pattern. The temple itself was stone as well, seeming ancient in its construction, large bricks withered and miscoloured. The stairs of the temple climbed to an opening where a great hall sat, the main room of the temple, which led off into the monks quarters and the Temple gardens, according to the old monk. Looking over the camp again, he spied only one guard standing by one of the shacks, automatic rifle held in his arms, looking lazily about and running a hand through his long, greasy black hair as if he really didn't want to be up so late. But even though he held the gun his belt still contained a few pokeballs clipped to it. It would be dangerous for him to be able to release them, as with a gun he was untrained but powerful, with both a gun and Pokémon, he wouldn't need to worry about being untrained.

"Layla, can you see any others?" Tom asked quietly. Layla ran both her visions over the grounds, seeing no other guards, but here aura picking up something else.

"He's the only one here, but there are Pokémon in the building behind him...one other human as well..." she said. The walls of the shack were stripped away as she viewed the aura emanating from inside, some slow, some quick, but all distinguishable.

"How do you know?" Tom asked, unsure to take a gamble on such a statement

"Humans have quicker auras than Pokémon, I can tell they're inside" She said, not bothering to go into how each Pokémon had their own distinctive flow of aura. Tom nodded silently, willing to take that brief explanation.

"We'll have to somehow get behind him or take him out without-" Layla cut him off as she pulled him back roughly

"Someone is coming" She said, sensing two humans approaching from the left of the group. Tom pulled crouched, urgently motioning for Michael and Mattias to do the same. Quiet settled over them and he held his breath as he leaned his head out from one of the trees, needing only a quick glimpse to see who was approaching. He drew his head back in not a second after, having seen two guards, one wearing red and the other blue, casually walking towards them. They obviously hadn't been spotted if the guards pace was any indication, but the two carried firearms as well, giving them the advantage. But if this went right, it would become their advantage. He leaned over to Layla, whispering quickly and quietly edging the knife out from his belt.

"Layla, when they're in front of us, jump out with me" He said, already seeing the questioning look Layla cast at him. "I'll take the blue one; you take the red, and take them out before they have a chance to react. Kill him or knock him out, it won't matter". Layla thought it was reckless, but she trusted him in this, the experienced warrior of the pack.

The two guards drew nearer and nearer, making Tom's heart beat faster and faster. The blood pumped in his veins, becoming as it once had been when he silently waited for a target during his fighting days. Layla's muscles grew tenser as she heard the footsteps come close enough to hear the rustling of the guards loose pants and the metallic sliding of his rifle. With a quick movement and only a rustling as their feet left the ground, they both launched themselves forward, throwing themselves towards the obvious guards. One of the two turned his head just fast enough to see a Lucario flying towards him, mouth opening in shock but not enough to say anything as Layla's fist connected with his jaw, followed by an opposing strike with the rear of her paw to the head, killing the man with only a sickening crack as his skull met a metal spike. The man in blue didn't even have time to turn his head before Tom grabbed his, deftly driving the knife into his neck and yanking it back. With a weak gurgle, the man collapsed onto the forest floor, blood staining the grass a ruby red in the light.

Tom gathered their weapons with haste and retreated back to where Michael and Mattias crouched in waiting, Matthias's face covered with a look of horror and disgust, as if he were about to vomit. Michael placed a hand on his shoulder and shook him slightly; bringing him back from the horror he had seen, explaining quietly.

"Sometimes it has to be done, and shying away from the horror of it at times like this only makes it worse" He said. But in his heart he held no sympathy for the two guards killed, being only obstacles in his way that were responsible for Melody's capture. But it scarred him that he felt his, worrying him that he may go off the deep end and begin thinking the same about lesser people. It was something Mattias might feel sometime in his life soon.

Tom looked over the rifles, grimacing at the horrible workmanship on them. They looked like they had been put together in a sweatshop, and unfortunately that probably wasn't far from the truth, being hardly distinguishable from a standard AK47 model. The metal was unevenly moulded and the magazines were a bad fit, having to be forced in hard for them to feed. The bullets seemed shoddily made too, with some having dents or irregularities in the casings, worrying him that they could potentially misfire. The sights were uneven too, but that would hardly matter much now, they would still give them an advantage. He handed one to Michael, taking one for himself. The only thing he could give to Mattias was a small pistol the red had been carrying, equally shoddily made, this one with a terribly adapted extended magazine. Mattias looked at the pistol with unease, but forced himself to swallow his fear and accept it, feeling the weight of raw power and death in his hands.

Tom led them to the opening in the fence, seeing it unguarded and allowing them to slip through quietly without detection. Bad planning and even worse execution, Tom had thought as he weaved his way behind one of the other shacks by the fence. Layla quickly told him that the shack was filled with people, but they were so still it was obvious they were asleep, Tom confirming it was true as he glanced through one of the windows. They were all dressed in red or blue, some lacking colours but obviously being a part of the organizations which were now teamed in this matter. It would do them, no good to wake up the armada with a fire fight right, and they needed stealth, surveillance.

"Lad, you said something about a ghast?" Tom asked quietly

"Ghastly" Mattias corrected him

"Whatever just bring him out now, we need him to scope out that building" Tom said, pointing around the corner to where the single guard lazily stood watch. Mattias nodded as he unclipped the red and white sphere from his belt, holding it out and flicking a tiny, near invisible switch on the side. Red light erupted in a bright flash as the pokeball opened, a slight humming and hissing filling the air for a second as the light arced out, reforming itself in mid air and solidifying. Tom, cursed doing such a thing right outside the window of the sleeping foe, hoping that they were heavy sleepers and that neither light or sound woke them. No one stirred as the Pokémon took shape, a floating sphere of utter blackness, smoke like aura streaming off its intangible body and corrupting the air around it with a sickly purple glow. Two large red eyes stared out from its form, mouth forming from seemingly nothing as it uttered a greeting

"Ghaaastly" It droned with a hissing voice, scratching both Tom and Michael's ears, Mattias and Layla unaffected.

"Ghastly, make yourself invisible and take a look in there" Mattias said quietly and confidently. This whole operation scared him straight, but now that his Pokémon was out on the playing field, he knew it wouldn't fail.

"Ghastly..." the Pokémon droned again, body fading from sight, the purple aura of slight malevolence lingering for but a moment before disappointing.

Now came the hardest part for them all, most of all Michael, the wait. They could do nothing, despite Michaels urge to simply run forward and fire, bursting through the door and sweeping Melody into his arms to carry away. Killing the guard would be easy enough, but the sound of the gunfire and the rashness of the plan, it made certain he would not live long after that. And so they waited, every second feeling like a minute and every minute feeling like another weight on their chest. The night wind ran through the grounds, making Michael shiver in his inadequate clothing, Mattias doing the same having discarded the bulky trench coat. Layla did not worry about the wind, finding it refreshing and exhilarant, while Tom was simply too tense in waiting to notice it. Finally, the ghastly returned, fading in like a phantom and sending out it's purple tendrils of corrupting aura.

"Good, what did you see?" Tom asked, forgetting that the ghastly could not speak, but relying on Layla for an accurate translation as the Pokémon droned slowly.

"One man, sitting by a door opposite the one facing us..." She said, listening intently before relaying the next words "There are Pokémon in there too...they're all caged and retrained...or...or they're in pokeballs" She said

"Did you see a Gardevoir?" Michael quickly asked, the ghastly facing him with what should have been an affirming smile, but came out looking like a dark smirk.

"...he did" Layla said, hesitating but continuing "She was asleep...in a cage near the man inside...she looked peaceful". Michael was thankful for that much, being able to stay calm in a place like this where a Pokémon could surely be cut down in seconds. He was near her, he was so close now, only a few strides away behind a guarded door.

"How do we get in?" Mattias whispered hastily "...why is this Gardevoir so important? Is she what we're trying to get? Because I didn't sign up for that"

"Don't ask about her lad, not until we get somewhere safe, anyway" Tom said, unwilling to discuss details when deep in an operation like this. Layla cast a glance at Michael, letting Mattias follow her gaze. He eyed Michael silently, certain that this Gardevoir was like the Pokémon who had been taken from him, realising that they were both in this for the same goal now. "Can that ghastly distract the guard? Anyway at all, we just need to get in"

"Well...um, he could try hypnosis...it's not as effective on humans since he's not too strong with-"

"That'll work for now, just send him out" Tom said quickly cutting Mattias off, wanting to set his into motion as soon as possible. Mattias nodded to the ghastly, who gave one more call of understanding and faded from the world yet again.

Mattias poked his head around the corner after a few seconds, Tom going to pull him back but Layla stopping him as she spotted what Mattias was looking at. The ghastly was slowing bobbing around in front of the guard, moving in a deliberate, trance like pattern. Deciding it was the sooner the better now, Michael moved out of hiding, Tom about to sound a warning but cutting himself of with an annoyed grunt and moving swiftly to follow him, Layla by his side and Mattias in tow. Their feet were silent on the lush grass, the crunching of the fresh blades only audible to them as they crossed the divide. Tom cast a glance at the man who had stood guard, seeing the blank stare on his face as the ghastly spoke in low and disturbingly soothing tones, eyes always tracking his. They moved behind the shack, Michael standing silently and shakily in front of the door which was the gate to Melody's prison. Tom took a place beside the door, Layla standing opposite, their minds working in unison and matching plans as they watched each other's actions. The man was still awake in there, Michael knew it, hearing the sounds of a chair scraping on the floor and footsteps echoing as the man paced along the length of the shack. Tom told him to wait, wanting to burst in and surprise the man when he was near the doorway. There were no windows to reveal them, he told them, and the door had neither window nor viewing screen.

But now was a time when Michael finally couldn't take it, the excitement and eagerness in his chest driving him forward as he did something absolutely stupid, making Tom freeze in place. He gave three short raps on the door. No one moved, but Mattias stifled a gasp as the footsteps approached the doorway, rough voice calling out to the outside, unintelligible through the wall. But the voice continued and the door creaked, handle turning and pushing open pulling. A man, young with black hair cut short under a red bandana, body lean and athletic, stepped into the doorway, right into the barrel of Michael's rifle. Without a second thought, another thing that scarred him, Michael pulled the trigger and let the roaring of the gunshot resonate through the camp. The young man's shock remained on his face even as he fell back, collapsing Tom the floor, arms spread to the side and on his back. The sound that ripped through the air dulled and left an even quieter silence in its place where not even the wind dared to speak. Tom cursed gruffly and grabbed Michael by the arm, throwing him into the shack and pulling Layla along with him as he stomped inside, Mattias quickly jumping through the door before Tom slammed it shut, clicking the lock. SPLORK The room was lined with shelves, pokeballs resting on each one, gleaming in the hard fluorescent light which flickered above. A few cages sat on the shelves, none too big, holding only small Pokémon who were muzzled and restricted as to not launch any attack in an attempt to escape. The Pokémon had reacted to the shot and their cries of panic and slight aggression filled the air. The noise filled the shack and grated at their ears, culminating in Tom finally telling Layla to silence them. She spoke shortly and the Pokémon began to settle, but some still called lowly or barked at the intruders, not trusting the new Lucario who had told them so easily that they were in no danger.

"Dammit, what the hell was that about?" Tom yelled, trying to keep his voice low even in anger "You've dammed us all here, they would have heard that!". But Michael didn't answer, instead he had fixed his eyes on where the guard had been sitting before he answered the door, before he shot him.

A chair sat there, and next to it, a large cage easily his size. Inside the cage, illuminated by the harsh light, sat a single Gardevoir, eyes covered with a large metal blinder and weights around her ankles. She sat silently against the wall of the cage, metal mesh digging into her skin as she slept. How she had slept through the gunshot was anyone's guess, but a soft smile adorned her lips as if she were dreaming. Michael moved towards the cage, ignoring Tom's angry yells.

"Michael, what are we going to do now?" He said sternly, not having seen the cage in his frustration. But the minute the name left his mouth, the quickly Gardevoir lifted her head, mouth slightly agape, as if she had been jarred from one world to the next. Her voice whispered, so silently it sounded like only breath to their ears

"M..Michael?" she finally croaked, having nowhere to look but straight forward, where darkness remained constant and no illusions could lure her into a cruel trap.

But Michael crouched now by the cage, looking in, hand trembling as he reached out to the lock on the cage door. The metal jittered as he held it, cold and forbidding. Tom now saw her and silently slid a set of keys from the guard's belt, handing it quietly to Michael, who accepted it without a word. The key went in and a soft click sounded, the rusty squeak of the cage door filled the air as the last barrier dropped. Michaels hand gently reached out, shaking and afraid to touch her as if she would turn out to be just another vision, and he would then jolt awake in bed, lonely as before. Melody whimpered slightly as she felt his hands rest on her face, feeling the cold from the night's air on his flesh as he gently held her. The feeling left for only a second before a second click sounded, the blackness that had covered her eyes now sliding away with a dull thunk as the blinder hit the floor. Her eyes searched the bright room, only making out fuzzy silhouettes in the sudden light. But the first thing she heard then became the first thing she saw

"Melody..." Michael whispered, voice full of relief, passion and sadness. His face focused and the blur around him was gone before anything else in the room. Her heart was pulled to her throat as she beheld him in reality for the first time in far too long. She could only let out a broken gasp, soon turning to deep, heaving sobs as she reached out and touched him, drawing her arms around him like a lost child. He did the same. The moment was nothing like they had imagined, but everything they had hoped for. The weight in their chests finally lifted, the tears melting it as if it were ice in a blazing fire, leaving the unfamiliar but so long missed feeling of freedom. The others all held different looks as they watched the two broken beings come together. Tom looked on with a soft smile, Layla a look of happiness, a twinge of longing passing over her face. Mattias had been moving up and down the rows of pokeballs before this had happened, and with a pokeball in his hand, looked at the two with an odd perplexion.

"Is she the one we came to get?" Mattias asked quietly. Tom nodded and Mattias looked on again, still slightly confused. She was a rare Pokémon, but this plan all for her was ludicrous, even if she was a friend to Michael surely he knew her capture should have been the end of it.

"Why is she so important to him?" He asked, the answer nagging at the back of his head but sounding so strange to him it was stifled. Tom gave Mattias an amused smile, thinking of how naive the boy was for missing the obvious answer.

"I'm surprised you don't know. It's called love" Tom said simply, watching the success of all their efforts and plans come together. It may have seemed selfish of Michael to put them through all this, which Michael admitted to himself, but the journey so far had given Tom a taste of a purer version of the life he once led, and showed him to Layla, who he now valued more than anyone else. He had begun to understand why Michael did the things he did.

Michael had unshackled Melody's legs and helped her stand, taking a few seconds as she gently began to float about the ground, feet inches off the hard linoleum floor. They were placed on her to tether her down and keep her from moving, just as the blinder had stopped her from targeting anyone to attack. If she could have, she would have stayed there with Michael for as long as she could, the renewed unity feeling so joyous to her right now that it seemed that it would shatter if she even moved from his arms.

"Let's go home, Michael" She said gently, sighing as she said it "Let's go home"

"Yes...we can go home..." Michael repeated to assure himself it was real, that he could return home with her in his arms.

A sharp cracking on the door caused Tom to whip his head around, hearing moving forms outside the shack. He cursed to himself; they had heard the shot and were swarming outside the shack.

"Hey, open up!" Someone yelled from behind the door "Come on, boss wants us to search the grounds!". They didn't realise the guard in here was dead. That was good. But Tom's mind still raced to form a plan. They couldn't open the door and fire from cover, there was simply too many of them, neither could they run for it, they would be spotted and cut down no matter which way they went.

"We're trapped, dammit" He muttered. The idea of surrender didn't often occur to him, most of the time not being needed with the skills he possessed, but he wasn't stupid enough to think they could win here. "...Well...I hate to say it everyone, but we're cornered"

"I have a way" Mattias spoke up quickly, the knocks on the door getting louder. Tom looked at the trainer who wore a smirk, happy that he was the only one to see the obvious plan right now. He held up a pokeball he had been carrying, having fetched it before when he slipped away after they had entered the shack. It was what he had been looking for, the friend who had been taken from him.

"A single Pokémon isn't going to do anything against them, they're armed and-" Tom stopped himself, the idea suddenly catching in his mind as he looked around at all the cages and pokeballs sitting on their shelves. They were sitting inside a room with a miniature army. "A distraction...you want to make a stampede don't you"

"That's the idea" Mattias confirmed. The pokeball in his hand suddenly opened and released the creature inside it. A thud sounded as the light receded, the weight in the shack shifting noticeably as a great grey creature stood before them. Hard grey, armour like skin covered it's body and it stood on four legs. Two red eyes stared out at them, a horn in between which led up to large plates of hard bone adorning it's back.

"Rhyhorn" It said in a deep, grinding voice as it greeted them.

"This is my Rhyhorn" Mattias said, explaining the choice quickly "Rhyhorns have armor and bone nearly as strong as iron. He can charge out there and cause a distraction while I release some of these other Pokémon so they can join in, the bullets won't hit him hard enough for long enough until the others arrive and help out"

"They could die" Layla protested "You want to send these Pokémon out so we can run away and let them die?". Her accusation was justified, and Mattias could not refute it. It seemed like a good idea to him, even though some Pokémon may die, they would get away and save the one's who culd survive. Tom had a different idea.

"No, Layla. We can release them, then back them up while we look through the temple" He said "They'll all be too confused to notice us, we'll have the upper hand...none of them have to die, we won't use the weaker ones..."

"Why the temple?" Mattias asked "Are you going to try and loot the place? Why would you-"

"We have to find Valerie" Melody said, the first time she had spoken aloud to everyone, including Mattias, who gave him a slight shock, since they had found her. "We have to help her...and the others. They are in the temple...I don't know where though"

"We'll find her" Tom said assuredly "We'll find them all even if we have to shoot everyone here..." Though the idea of having to commit a localise massacre was not appealing to him. The banging on the door had ceased now, which Tom found odd, how they just seemed to have given up like that.

"Let's go then, they're right outside" Mattias said hastily. He was eager to leave now and make a run for it, but the guilt of abandoning everyone stopped him, but didn't stop the feeling of wanting to just get out of here. Tom moved towards the door, unslinging his rifle and gripping it tightly

"When I open the door on three-" Tom was cut off by the sound of a lock clicking and the door swinging open, nearly hitting him in the face as a guard stumbled in

"Made me get the keys you idi-" the guard was stopped by a sudden horn to his chest as the Rhyhorn charged forward, sending him screaming out the door as he was thrown across the ground. The Rhyhorn's roar sounded and the yelling began, more cries of pain and panic as the behemoth charged more of the men in the courtyard. Tom stood dumbly for a second before shaking himself from the shock, rolling his eyes as he aimed his rifle out the door while Mattias grabbed more pokeballs from the shelves

"Well, tree, I guess" He muttered half amusedly, picking his first target of the night.


	21. Chapter 21

The camp became chaotic. Both Aqua and Magma members ran mindlessly, all trying to focus on the huge great behemoth bearing down on them. The bullets proved useless, simply impacting on the tough armour of the lumbering Pokémon, but that would not stay the same forever. Mattias grabbed random pokeballs and released the Pokémon within, most of them being the kind they needed in this situation. The first one that came out was a great purple being with stubbed arms and legs, its mouth seeming to take up the majority of its body and its head adorned with what looked like bony vents. It didn't take long for it to turn on the men with the guns, recognising them from the attack and as the ones that had taken him away from his trainer. Disregarding the armed opponents, it ran out into the open and let out an earth shaking yell of its name. The noise was overshadowed by a large explosion, the men in front of the Pokémon be blown backwards and skidding all the way across the camp, impacting on the chain link fence on the perimeter. Cracking its jaw, the Pokémon gave a satisfied mutter

"Exploud..." it repeated, turning and screaming again at another pair of men who were too busy fending off the stray Ryhorn. Another boom erupted and the men were sent flying, the Exploud continuing with its yells which commanded the air itself into a sonic boom.

Other Pokémon joined the fray, their names echoing as a battle cry into the night. Aggron, Camerupt, Cacturne and Dusclops being only a few of the Pokémon running into the fray as more and more were released to take their revenge. All the while, Tom stayed behind the door, only watching for any man that might have a shot at injuring one of these newfound comrades. One man had raised his gun to the back of a Mightyeena, readying to fire, soon being cut off as his hand was reduced to a bloody pulp, followed by the rest of his body as the powerful wolf mauled him. He would need to keep defending these Pokémon, if he wanted to fulfil that promise to Layla that none would be hurt or killed, but at the same time there were people needing to be rescued from inside the temple. Taking only a moment to turn away from the action, called to Michael

"Take Melody and go find the rest" He called over the din of chaos in the clearing.

"What about you?" Michael called back, wondering if he even had a plan, to which Tom just gave a smug smile

"I've got to protect these ones-" He paused and let of another shot, hitting a man who had cornered a diminutive Vigoroth, letting the Pokémon's talons soon have their way with his stomach. "Go on, we can handle ourselves!" His words were confidant and stern, not unlike a father.

Michael nodded, knowing there would be little argument and doing so would only take up time in this situation. Helping melody out the back entrance of the shack, he edged his way along the side until he could make out the entrance of the temple. There wasn't much action around the back of the shack, letting them go unnoticed. He turned to Melody, who although having only just been freed from her own prison, showed a look as if she would follow him to the grave, something neither hoped would happen. With a swift motion, Michael threw himself out into the open, sprinting around the great blocks of stone which adorned the entrance and into the dark temple, Melody moving quickly behind him. As he ran, the gun he carried made his arms ache with its weight, being unbalanced and heavy. But soon he came to a stop as he the short tunnel from the entrance widened into a great and arching stone hall. The beauty of it was evident, even with only torchlight to illuminate the room in a dull and warm glow, giving it the look of a very well furnished dungeon. A glass dome over the roof was the only modern building material in the hall, the walls being adorned with paintings of Pokémon, humans and landscapes painted right onto the stone. The floor was made of hard but smooth dark rock, a single strip of a rough flax carpet leading to the end of the hall where a small stage sat, empty save for two stone benches. Looking left and right they saw that two exits branched out from the great hall, leading down into darkened hallways, only dim torchlight to illuminate them. The left hallway was the one that the monk had hold them of, being the living quarters, Tom mentioning that it would be the most likely place to hold any prisoners. Michael hoped he was right as they moved down the hallway, slowly and quietly. Michael felt an almost prescience fear strike into his heart as they walked, seeming to come from nowhere. But he realised it was the link, the link which had been dormant for so long and only now had reminded him of its presence, although the feeling of the reminder was less than welcome. It didn't take long before they heard voices, one much louder and clearer than the other, coming from down the hall.

The hall opened up abruptly into a small room, bunks pushed up against the wall with a small flax carpet laid out over the stone floor. Where the bunks had obviously been lined up, a chain link fence now stood, dug into the stone wall and floor, one gate with a padlock adorning it in the centre of the steel length, and behind it laid the prisoners. They looked gaunt and grim, most of them asleep, something preferable to whatever suffering they might have been through. One by in the front had a thick cotton bandage over his side, his breathing painful and slow, an occasional painful gap escaping his lips. Others looked as if they had similar injuries, mostly on their hands or arms and consisting on cuts, burns or bruises from whatever they had been doing. The voices that came from the chamber were that of a single man and a large radio sitting on a bench he was hunched over with his back to the entrance, seeming very uneasy about the situation as he explained it. The man was dress differently from the rest of the guards, this one wearing no bandana to cover his flaming auburn hair that looked bedraggled and unkempt, his pants baggy and his shirt a tight fitting black.

"They came out of nowhere, just running out of the goddamn shack we kept them in-" The man paused as he listened to the voice on the other end, being inaudible to Michael and Melody from where they stood behind the corner, watching the scene. "I don't know how, they-they must've snuck into the camp...o-or maybe one of them men-"He stopped again and gave a pathetic whimper as the inaudible voice continued talking, seeming to be threatening something.

Michael thought to make his move right there, moving out quickly and aiming his rifle, one man was simple enough to deal with. But as he moved out, his foot caught on the uneven stone floor and he fell, unable to stop himself as his rifle clattered to the ground under him. A loud bang erupted and echoed throughout the chamber as the man turned and drew a pistol, firing towards Michael as he fell. The sound woke some of the prisoners and startled the others into cries of panic, but one cry of pain echoed above the rest as he felt pain jolt through his own body. It happened in an instant, the realisation as Melody fell backwards and the feeling of his own blood boiling, his finger gripping the trigger of the gun and firing at the man who still stood with surprise on his face. Not just once did Michael pull the trigger, but again and again and again, each shot impacting another part of the man's body and making it dance like a horrific puppet. His shoulder, then his chest, then his arm, all earning a cry of pain until the man fell and Michaels rifle clicked through an empty magazine. His anger faded and turned to fear as he felt a dull and distant pain flow through his shoulder, looking behind him to Melody, who lay on the ground in pain. The shot from the man's pistol had ripped into her shoulder which was now slowly bleeding, staining her skin with a thick red tint. He crawled over to her, wanting to do something to help but unable. She could no longer levitate her body, the pain too much for her to focus her self-kinesis, forcing her to try and stand shakily on her own legs. Michael had to help her, hot pain searing through her shoulder and her legs being too weak to hold her up with the strain on her body.

"Help them..." She said through the pain, voice wavering more than usual "Get them out...Valerie might be in there..." Michaels mind was struck with the thought of Valerie and her experience with medical salves and mixes, something which could help Melody before anything worse happened. He gently laid her against a wall, heart begging not to leave her there as he frisked the dead man's body and found the keys to the gate padlock. As he did so, a voice blasted over the radio, now close enough to hear.

"Respond, commander, what is happening?" The voice said, deep and almost bored in its calmness. It gave a chuckle when it heard no response and spoke again in a smoothly clam tone. "I'll take it by your silence that you're dead...but if you aren't then it won't be pretty if I see you again..." The radio clicked and nothing but static was left, Michael breathing a short sigh and moving to the gate of the prison.

The people had calmed down now, and watched in hope as he opened the padlock, letting the gates swing open with a rusty creak. Now they cheered, footsteps thundering as they surged from the cell and out into the hallway, running for their freedom. It didn't take long for Michael to hear a familiar voice.

"Melody!"

A voice called from the crowd, a young brown haired girl in a dirty loose blue shirt wiggled free from the flow of people and ran to them both. Valerie had found them. She dropped to the ground beside Melody, eye's holding the same fear Michaels did and all of the tiredness as well. "Melody...can you walk?"

"I...I don't think I can..." Melody said, voice laced with pain that only Michael could feel. He moved to help her up, pulling her close and supporting her body as she stood shakily on her own legs for one of the few times in her life, looking pleadingly at Valerie

"Is she going to be okay, please, can you do anything?" he asked desperately. Valerie gave a pained look as she answered

"All we can do is try and get her back to Fortree..." She said, unable to mix anything right now, and aware that the wound would not heal instantly anyway if she did. "But we can bandage the wound up and it'll help a bit..." She had no cloth for bandages, but made do when Michael removed his shirt and allowed her to tie the fabric around Melody's shoulder. It hurt when the cloth brushed the open wound, but stalled the bleeding and offered some relief through pressure, especially when Michael held up next to him as they walked down the silent stone hallway, the noises from outside soon becoming clear.

As they moved into the hallway, Michael heard a yell from the opposite passage. He now noticed the crowd they had freed now standing shock still, huddled in the hallway with their hands holding their heads as two men with guns watched them. They had walked right into the trap the enemy had set. A pain shot through Michael's body as a rifle butt caught the back of his head, crying out in pain as he dropped to the floor, Valerie catching Melody before she could fall. Soon enough a gun was shoved into her face, as well as Michaels as the guards surrounded them. They must have not been outside when the fighting started.

"You...you little stupid shit!" the man looming over Michael shouted, rapping the butt of the gun over Michaels face, leaving a stinging pain. Melody called out for him, but was silenced by the gun to both her and Valerie's face. "You thought you could just break this up huh? Did you?"

Each blow brought new waves of pain over Michael's body, the menacing guard above him showing no signs of remorse and he beat him into the ground. It was punishment due and punishment given for what he had done to their plans, and as he lay on the floor with the world slowly darkening around him, he wondered where they could go now. Before the soothing darkness could steal him away from the pain, a loud bang echoed through the chamber, close enough to know it wasn't from the fire fight outside. The man stopped with his beating when he heard it, and soon it was followed by another. Michael's consciousness returned and he looked up, seeing the guard with a puzzled look on his face, now illuminated by a light emanating from the main doorway of the temple. Without a word, he moved towards it, gun at the ready, reaching his head out into the darkness. With a sudden crack, his body fell back, minus his head which was now non-existent. Michael pulled himself up as the other guards yelled and ran to the door, trying to fire upon the enemy who had done this. As Michael stood on shaky feet with the world spinning around him, he was not sure if it was a trick of the light or if he three great bolts of lightning strike the men, sending them backwards with their flesh fried. Panic erupted and people hurried backwards, trying to escape the now constant noise in the air, the sound of buzzing energy and cackling lightning. Valerie moved to him along with Melody, taking his hand and pulling him back, but something told him of what this was. The familiar energy in the air and the din of noise around him, it was the same as before, all the other times. With a realisation that snapped the haze from his mind, he reversed Valerie's grip and dragged her, along with Melody, to the doorway. Valerie cried in protest but he told her to calm down, knowing what would greet them ahead, but he did not know what he would do once he saw it.

The light shone down upon them as they stepped out into the courtyard, the floodlights having blown and some becoming utterly destroyed, yet from the sky came the familiar aura. The din of noise reached its peak, silencing for but a second before a deep, resounding boom echoed around them and through the earth itself. Above them, hovering over the temple was the great sphere of white light that had become etched in his mind. A portal to another world, one where Michael's home remained and men still sought to control panic in the world... It ceased its constant spewing of debris and of lightning, the noise becoming a rushing din as the air around it distorted with the great vacuum caused by the anomaly. It seemed serene now, almost...beautiful. Melody tapped his shoulder, directing his view upon the courtyard. Although bodies of guards littered the area, the remaining guards, the Pokémon, Tom, Layla and Mattias stood staring at the sky, transfixed by the sight. Everything seemed harmonised, at peace with a wondrous rushing of wind, as if God himself had made himself known in a great unveiling.

The peace, so full and tranquil, was shattered by a keening from all around. As if the air, the earth, the entirety of the world spoke. Every particle reverberated with the screech until Michael covered his ears and fell to the ground along with Melody and Valerie who also could not stand it. Forcing his eyes up Michael saw a being, who had not been there a second ago, now sitting below the portal with its jaw wide in a great cry. The air around it seemed to warp and twist at its command, shining with a flowing pink aura of power. As it wailed, the portal shuddered and twisted, seeming to the will of this creature. With the vibration of the air itself Michael could not make out its form, but the portal above it soon gave way. Its light stretched and morphed as if it were nothing but a rubber ball in the palm of an invisible hand, growing smaller and smaller until it remained but a pinprick of intense, burning light. With a final shout, the light exploded into a dazzling array of fireworks, streams of light falling around the being before fading into the cool night sky. The silence that was left was more deafening than the roar of the creature itself, and still everyone turned their heads to the new contender, entranced. The creature now looked down upon them all, turning its smooth head with two red eyes to look over its audience. Its body was like a dragon with a long tail and thick legs to contrast with its smaller but armoured arms branching from two wide shoulders, natural round pauldrons with two shining gems of brilliant orange to adorn the centre. Behind it were spread two fractured wings of solid white bone, unmoving and seemingly useless. As its eyes ran over the people below, its gaze hovered over Tom and Michael, looking almost confused and undecided.

A voice then echoed though Michaels mind. It said nothing that made sense, a cacophony of sound, but the message behind it seemed clearly planted in his mind, the speech incomprehensible but its meaning becoming clear.

"Not of...us..." the message was. The creatures seemed to grow impatient while looking down, but unwilling to move while its gaze hovered between Tom and Michael. Michael stepped forward, glancing around him. Tom looked at him with a confused frown, mouth slightly open in a questioning look. He had heard the voice too, yet he did not step forward from his place in the shack doorway. Michael looked back up and spoke, knowing it would hear them.

"W-who are you?" He asked, unsure of what it wanted with him out of all the people. The creature spoke again, in the same way as before with an unintelligible string of sounds, but carrying into Michael their meaning.

"Palkia...name of mortals..." it spoke. It said nothing more, but it was waiting for something. Michael meant to ask only one thing next, but his questions flowed from him. This creature had closed a portal all on its own; something Will had said would be impossible with the state of the two worlds and their proximity. It was powerful, it was hope to him.

"How...how did you do that, what are you, w-why is this happening, how do we stop it?" He said, beginning with questions and growing to an almost interrogating yell. The creature looked down with a sudden curiosity, and perhaps a fragment of hope in its tone as it started to speak.

"My domain...keeper of-" the sounds soon drowned as another cry echoed through the night, this one far louder, vibrating through the being of everyone and everything in the camp with a low roaring rush of wind. The creature cried back, almost in pain as it twisted its body in anger, fighting the voice with droned on. It threw itself at the ground, hurtling downwards towards the entranced onlookers. It shouted down to them as it struggled against the roaring voice, addressing both Michael and Tom with one fractured sentence.

"Where he...cannot go, sent where...earth holds blades...bullets and pain...waiting to forge" was the final message, and then, it was gone. No one saw it disappear, or even a sign that it had. It was gone.

Everyone stood dumbly at what they had seen, although one was first to react. With three quick shots, the remaining guards went down, a bullet for each of them. The sound awoke everyone to reality. The Pokémon reared up before they realised it was over, and the ones who had been imprisoned by the now dead guards all walked out from the temple. A few had watched the scene, others had not, too scared to look outside during the cosmic events. Now everyone stood in the courtyard, silence first broken by a young boy no older than twelve with burns on his hands breaking free of the crowd, running to embrace a Zangoose who laughed happily as it lifted the boy off the ground in a tight hug. Others soon followed, those who had been separated from their Pokémon running to them and being reunited, just as Michael had been. Some Pokémon instead stood away from the crowd, those whose masters were not among the prisoners, not knowing what to do now. Mattias patted his Ryhorn on one of its armoured plates

"Knew you'd tough it out, buddy" He said, the Ryhorn giving a call of agreement, willingly returning to its pokeball with a short flash.

Tom looked on with a smug look on his face, turning to Layla, who had not fought despite her willingness to, knowing that she would have been torn up the minute she stepped in. But even after the chaos had started when she knew she could easily take them on, Tom kept her back, ensuring her it would all be okay. And now he turned to her with that smug grin, boasting to her.

"Kept my promise, didn't I? Not a single one hurt" he said with satisfaction. At any other time Layla would have been annoyed for his smugness and furious that he kept her from helping, but he was right, and she could not hold anger when he had protected her kind so readily. She smiled and nodded begrudgingly.

Everyone soon began to leave, filing away quickly through the open gates, wanting to leave this place as quickly as possible. Their Pokémon followed, most remaining out of their pokeballs, most likely for the sake of company after such a time away. Some headed towards Fortree, but most headed the other way. It was a place they would rather not return to, nothing being left but ash and burnt forestry. Where they went was their own business, and into the night they disappeared, but leaving behind those Pokémon who had not found their trainers among those freed.

Michael supported Melody along with Valerie as they left, Tom and Layla followed, staying slightly behind the others as to talk about all that had just happened. Mattias followed them as well, having found his Pokémon again and needing any supplies he could get from Fortree. The forest was still dark as they walked, but light was just on the horizon, illuminating the sky but leaving the landscape as dark as ever. The wind was warm and humid, but not unpleasant as it rolled over them all. Melody was hurting, the wound on her shoulder not bleeding too badly despite how serious it seemed, and she could deal with the pain for the short time it would take to get back to Fortree. Michael felt the wound as well, as a dull ache over his shoulder, the pain echoing into him. The link used to be something which bound them, but now it annoyed him. It made everything too easy between them, too perfect. It cast illusions and swayed his own decisions when he was forced to share a mind with Melody. The pain in his shoulder was an illusion, just like when he had doubted if he had loved her. Even though he no longer doubted that he loved her, but now the feeling on his link, this bond which tied them together, felt selfish. He could not describe the feeling, it was something intangible. There was something...missing. He would talk to Melody about it as soon as he could.

"Have they been there this whole time?" Mattias spoke up, the others turning to see him looking behind himself and followed his gaze. A large group of Pokémon followed them, all wordlessly and without fear, looking ahead as they were led to what they all hoped was a better place. The group spread itself along the path, following like a flock of sheep. They carried on with the Pokémon following behind them, no point in shooing them away when they had nowhere to go. Fortree was their destination and where they hoped to find their friends and trainers waiting for them.

As they approached the charred opening of trees and grass, the citizens of Fortree looked up, their eyes meeting an amazing sight. As they stepped into the clearing, the sun broke upon the horizon and showering soft pink light across the group, silence in the dawn air. They had returned to their land, and now stood on the edge, a great crowd, a great exodus. One of the Pokémon, a small and slender Furret, ran to a man who watched the scene from beside the Pokémon centre, arms muscled and beard full. The Furret quickly ran up his body and onto his shoulder, chittering happily as it took its place, the man giving a laugh of joy as he tickled the it's chin. Other followed and cheers rang through the crowd as many of the Pokémon finally got their delayed reunion with their trainers and friends. It was a time of happiness for the Pokémon who had been reunited, but a time of sadness for those who had lost their trainers to the gunfire that had assaulted the town. Emotions ran high and low as the Pokémon were shown to the burial site and allowed to see their friends, now cold and departed, for the final time. Some cried over the bodies, looking like a person who had just lost a brother, while others cried with the other Pokémon of their deceased master's team. But no matter the emotion, high and jubilant or low and broken, in the end they all were together in life and in death.

Melody was taken to the Pokémon centre with Michael and Valerie in tow, where she was attended to. It was a great relief that no trace of the bullet was found, and the pressure of the tight bandage having stalled the bleeding. Tom didn't help when he told them that even a shot to the shoulder was deadly, the shoulder holding numerous large blood vessels and an irreparable joint, despite Hollywood saying otherwise. It was Tom's place to be blunt and it did nothing but deepen Michael and Valerie's relief that she was not killed. The wound though, was not crippling or life threatening once the bleeding was stopped and gauze packed into the wound. Although she was given an anaesthetic, it did not stop her from gripping Michaels hand in a fear that pain would soon come, squeezing tightly whenever the nurse so much as touched the wound... Will watched as they treated her, having used his time to read up on various article detailing anatomy, biology and psychology of Pokémon, fascinating him with their exoticness.

"If she was human" He had told them "She wouldn't have survived it, but her shoulder was small enough to avoid major damage, and Pokémon have much stronger bones than humans." Valerie shooed him away, fussing over Melody as they treated her wound. She had taken a liking to Melody over the time they had travelled together, making their way from town to town, searching for Michael and the others what had seemed like a hopeless dream. The two had almost become like sisters during the journey, with nothing in the world but themselves and the old backpack Valerie had carried. But a look of sadness crossed her face whenever she saw Michael and Melody together. She was afraid of losing her, afraid Melody would go and she would be left without a friend on this journey.

She was laid in a bed and given time to rest, the anaesthetic wearing off in time and leaving her with a burning pain in her shoulder that came and went. Michael stayed by her, but his mind was elsewhere, mulling over incomplete thoughts and unformed arguments. He stayed with her for the rest of the day as she rested, sometimes falling asleep while talking, tired from her ordeal. She had explained what had happened in the camp, from the beginning when they were rounded up; up to the night they were rescued. The people were gathered and the ones who could not work were either shot or beaten for amusement of some of the crueller men. The work they were put into consisted of melting iron and metals in a furnace and then moulding them into parts, others using old tools to put these parts together, eventually coming together as a shoddily made gun. Some made the guns; others made the bullets, the ones who coughed up blood from breathing in the toxic gunpowder they handled. More often than not, they died not of gunpowder poisoning, that was far too slow, but of accidentally detonated shells. They would lose a few fingers when the shell fired from clumsy handling and even clumsier making, but at least the pain was sudden, unlike those who worked near the furnaces, whose flesh was seared with the heat of molten metal's and great fires. It was agony for them, blisters on their hands and cuts from the sharp metal pieces they handled. The Pokémon were kept confined in pokeballs, but some were let out and simply muzzled or tied up, beaten when they got too noisy. She was only out of a pokeball because she could serve as a translator, which the commander of the small group found useful for threatening the Pokémon into extra work when he could. Their work consisted of hauling supplies from one place to the other, crates of rough metal to be smelted and gunpowder to be filled into shells. One man who guarded her took an interest in her, one of the unhealthy type, even going as far as trying to assault her. The commander caught him in the act of forcing himself onto her, asking what he was doing and promptly shooting him when he told him plainly, thinking he could get away with it because the Pokémon were not being put to enough use. The commander told the man that "Magma nor Aqua will be not known for that sort of thing." before killing the man with another shot to the head, sparring only a glance at Melody before he left. Some guards seemed cruel and ruthless, beating people for fun or letting loose a small Pokémon to take a few shots at and watch it scurry about in fear, others just did their duty and didn't bother taunting the prisoners, while others, like the commander, seemed to have much bigger things on their mind. No one could figure out what they truly wanted. Guns were the obvious thing, but they were just a tool, no one knew what the bigger plan was, the men were too varied in personality and actions to figure that out. She was spared from a stay in a pokeball, only being called on when needed, and even then she was often bound and blinded so she was not a threat. One man asked if the binds were necessary and was told just how dangerous final forms of psychics could be, showing that they held a smaller bit of fear of what she could do if ever harmed and able to actively attack back. It would not be threatening to the operation, but it would be a small setback that was easily avoided. As she told the tale she sometimes drifted to sleep, an onset of fatigue caused by the drugs she had been given, and Michael would sit by her, sometimes falling asleep in the chair himself after such a long night, until she woke up.

Will had regained his strength more or less, walking shakily now and getting some fresh air outside whenever he could. He liked to watch the Pokémon, fascinated by them, and sometimes asked trainers or nurses questions about them, questions which seemed rudimentary but allowed him to piece together profiles of species and reasoning behind why a Pokémon was as it was. He would access the public computer terminal whenever he had time, searching the network of information and sitting for hours just reading on the world he was in. He had completely forgotten of the crisis the worlds faced, choosing now to study them before it was too late, and if they succeeded by some godly miracle, then perhaps preserve that knowledge for his own use.

Tom and Layla, who was now fully healed, once again took up positions and sparred as much as they liked. But this time they were not without an audience, as trainers and citizens of the town came to watch them, impressed not only by Tom's prowess in fighting a rare and powerful Pokémon in hand to hand combat, but by how the two seemed to know each other's moves almost instinctively. Their spars which now often ended in stalemates, from either exhaustion or double knock out, looked like a carefully choreographed waltz of kicks and strikes, more beautiful than it was threatening. Neither of them minded having an audience, and to be honest, neither noticed when focusing on each other and their next move. In between these fights they helped with odd jobs that were needed to be done around the town, from clearing destroyed wood to felling trees for temporary accommodation, ironic in the fact that the city had been built upon the same things they were felling. Not much was said between them during the days work, but in reality not much needed to be said, their mutual respect communicating enough.

The day came and went, sun falling from the sky quicker than usual, taking the heat of the day with it. By the end of the day one of the huts had been completed, being built with simple wooden walls and floor, looking like an oversized toy box rather than a place where one could sleep. But it would do for now, and it allowed more space for everyone who could not fit in the Pokémon centre, recovered for the sick first and the homeless second. That night, somehow someone managed to scrounge up a few crates of drinks, most likely from the ruined stores above the trees despite warnings of not to do up there due to the damages, and began to share them amongst everyone. It soon turned into a celebration, a fully fledged party as torches were lit to illuminate the clearing and music began to flow from those who could provide it. Everyone was happy, even those who had lost someone had cause to celebrate the freedom of the temple or the fact that tomorrow was a new day where they had nothing to fear and everything to gain.

Michael and Melody were pulled into the fray, Melody managing to make it outside with him to watch the festivities. The painkillers were working nicely on her shoulder and the pain only grew when she moved too much, her levitation being possible now, although a little shaky. The music that rang through their ears was either from guitars, pipes, drums or other instruments that some were lucky enough to carry. Michael had only one drink, a wine which tasted very much like a rich fruit punch with a pungent tang, but it warmed his body in the cold air of the night, along with everyone else. Melody laughed suddenly, and Michael turned to see who she was laughing at, hearing it before he caught a glimpse of it. Tom was on a small raised platform, singing a slightly slurred rendition of "Banks of The Roses" to the tune of the guitar behind him, his Irish accent brought out with the drink and adding to the slight corniness of the song. But even so, the people clapped in time with him as he moved in a small dance on stage, even pulling Layla up with him, who had before been simply watching with an amused smile, and convincing her into a small dance with him. Despite her embarrassment, it was obvious she enjoyed it, smiling and laughing as she moved. Valerie was spotted in the crowd, watching and laughing, noticing Michael and Melody before she waved to them and smiled a knowing smile. Melody had told Michael about when she had told Valerie of their relationship. Valerie had said that she had heard of it, but thought most of it was caused by abuse or lust, a thing made disgusting by the people who took advantage of their Pokémon. She could only believe Melody because it was not coming as testimony from a trainer who's Pokémon could not defend their own feelings, but from a Pokémon who seemed more human than any she had ever met and one who had experienced more than she had ever known. After being told of all Melody felt for Michael and of all the things he had done for her, including the promise to make everything right, she found no more malice or despise in her heart for Michael. She had accepted the relationship as it was and done all she could to support Melody in her loss, the sounds of her cries during the night and tales of her dreams harrowing and heart breaking to her, the feelings seeming heavier than any person should bear. As he sang, Michael and Melody took a turn at a dance, not the energetic and lively one in which Tom had partook in which would cause too much pain for Melody, but a slow and simple one. They shifted on their feet, back and forth with the occasional turn or swap of the feet. It was enough for them until the party slowed and people tired from the work beforehand, or became a little too inebriated to continue with their merrymaking, and headed for their rooms. They were one of the last to move away, feeling content to bask in the soft glow of the torches and dwindling music that filled the clearing until it, along with the light, died off and silence returned.

Melody had been given one of the private rooms of the Pokémon centre, usually used for patients who needed constant care or rest, while the rest of the healthy or less ill trainers and Pokémon slept in either the lobby or newly built hut next to it. The room was dark when they entered, gentle silver moonlight streaming through the window and onto the bed, reminding Michael of the last vision he had received of Melody bathed in the light of the moon while waiting for him. Melody moved to the bed and laid down, inviting Michael to lie next to her, or more specifically for her to lie back against him, the bed being too small for two. She held him in peace for the first time since she had been torn away, lying in his arms and letting herself slowly lose her thoughts into the night. Michael happily held her, the effect not being lost on him either, and reached down to whisper into her ear.

"I missed you Melody" He said. It wasn't poetic or deep in any way, but it was all be could say for now as he felt her body against his.

"I missed you too" She said, turning her head to look him in the eyes, which she knew where there despite the darkness of the room. She leant forward and kissed him deeply, as if confirming this was even real. He didn't see it coming, but made no complaint as he kissed her back, holding her against him.

Their hands seemed to move without thought as they kissed, Michaels hand sliding down the back of her neck and over her back, rubbing gently. She let out quiet moans as he massaged her skin, Michael hearing this and stopping in slight embarrassment as they pulled away. She really looked beautiful right now, with the moonlight reflecting off her white gown, glowing with an arcane light.

"Sorry" he mumbled, his mind still a little buzzed from the wine he had drunk earlier. Melody sighed and placed a hand on his face reassuringly, leaning and touching her forehead to his, feeling the heat radiate off his brow.

"Don't be" she said, running her hand over his shoulders and laying her neck in the nape of his neck.

He responded in kind, massaging her body slowly as he lay with her face so close to his. She sighed as he did so, letting him gently relax her body, face heating as she blushed and mind becoming slightly clouded in the feeling. He pulled her close and ran a hand tenderly over her navel, where the dress parted slightly to reveal pale skin that flowed through its curves, feeling the muscles underneath quiver as she shivered from the feeling. She raised her head, breathing heavier than face flushed, bringing him into a passionate kiss again as she moved her hands over his body. Michael's shirt became undone as she massaged her hands against him, and Melody's dress was soon sliding away as their bodies heated up, the haze of lust and love filling their minds.

It certainly wasn't the place either had imagined they would be doing this, and often had doubts they ever would, but now the feelings of unison pushed them together in the gentle art that every creature knew of. The place was not what they had imagined, but the time felt right to both as they shared the mixed gasps and moans their bodies caused. Melody moaned aloud as Michaels hand brushed low along her body, gliding past her legs and making her shudder as she lay against him. Michaels mind was drugged with the completeness he felt, not even understanding his actions and movements as the two grinded against each other.

Her hands rasped against him as he gently ran his hands along her dress, removing the garment as he did so and pulling her close to him. She felt him lying hot against her, heat from her core mingling with his, hot breath playing over her supple skin. In the air of desire that filled the room, it took some energy for Melody to slowly pull herself upwards, sitting gently on Michaels legs. She gave one long sigh as she descended upon him, leaning forward to hold her face against his, hearing him give a small gasp as they joined. It wasn't the first time he had been with a woman, but it was the most meaningful, as he held her there, careful of her injury as they began to tenderly move.

The moonlight fell over their bodies as they moved against each other, Michael holding her close against his chest, smelling the faint scent of her hair and skin, one of sweetness, light like sugar. Every touch, shudder and breath was felt by both, a symphony of the senses, accompanied by the lowly whistling wind outside the window. His hand ran down her body and to the small of her back, faint moistness of sweat coating her skin, feeling cold in the air. The wetness that she held him in, warm and soft, combined with the cool sweat on his body electrified him, urging him forward faster.

She whimpered, a pathetic mewling noise as he speed up, raising her head and tilting backwards as her eyes fluttered, rays of moonlight flowing past her vision. The heat she felt from him, pulsing and constant, reminded her that he was there, filling her body with streams of pleasure that ran down her legs and through her arms. Her breasts were now exposed to the coolness of the air and her chest ran with exotic pleasure, feeling the heat pour from between her legs and seep into her chest. Gasping and writhing in her motions, shoulder only ever so slightly pained from the movement. But the pain mixed so strongly with the liquid pleasure they felt it was as it were a part of it, their movements becoming sloppy and untimed as the heat inside them grew and took over their bodies.

Michael pulled her down and brought her lips to his, trembling from the experience, kissing her deeply as they worked themselves further into ecstasy. Their moans became louder and louder as their thrusts became shorter and harder, Michael still being careful to restrain himself for Melody's injury. Without warning and with a great shudder through his body, Michael held her close to him, trembling as he thrust unevenly in his release. Melody shivered and pushed down, deep as she could, gasping when she felt the hot wetness blossom inside her. His erratic and untimed motions against her brought a wash of energy, body convulsing and twitching violently as her voice called out in broken cries of rapture. The rush of heat from her loins flooded over her thighs, pooling at their heated coupling, leaving them to bask in the afterglow and the slick feeling of sweat and sex on their bodies.

They lay panting on the thin sheets of linen, the heat around them soon cooling, the only source o warm now being each other. Neither meant for this to happen, but they could not have stopped themselves, the moment feeling far to right to think they were wrong. Resting his head on the pillow with Melody slowly breathing as they lay in the nape of his neck, his thoughts slipped back once again to what they shared. The bond was something that comforted him but at the same time worried him. It was something that forced the two into natural union, something that was not their own. He knew he loved her, the bond had started that by drawing him close to her and letting their minds mingle on the fringes, but beyond that he was sure of what moments the bond had caused and of what moments had been birthed of their own actions. He would ask her of something he had mulled over since the day he had been told of the bond between them, some rash and unnerving to even speak of.

"Melody" He whispered down to her, hearing her small groan as an acknowledgement. "I've thought about us, Melody...I think we need to do something"

"What would need to be done?" She asked, content as she lay with him. He swallowed lightly before continuing.

"That bond we share, the one which we worried was the source of our feelings?" He said, trying to think of a way to word the next sentence "I think we...we need to break it". It was quickly and plainly as he could manage. She moved her head up and looked at him in surprise, feeling the whirlwind of emotions that came from him at those words.

"B...break it?" She asked worriedly "...why?" Michael breathed a long sigh before he spoke

"Melody, I do love you" he said to reassure her it was true. "The bond was what started this love, and even if it keeps it going now I know that I truly love you...that's why I want to break it"

"I don't understand..." Melody said sadly "Why do we need to break it? Why can't we live with it?"

"Because I...I want to fall in love with you for you..." He said. What he felt was so complex even he did not know a perfect way to word it. "I want to learn about you...I want to love you for who you are and know that I deserve that, without help from something that will keep us that way."

"Aren't you happy with it?" She asked, still begging for him to change his mind.

"I am, Melody, I am...but I..." He trailed off, unable to think of how to word it before she whispered tearfully to him again.

"...don't you like it?" She asked "Don't you like the feelings we have?"

"Of course I do." He said, pulling her close again. "But I'm afraid I might fall more in love with those feelings than the love I have for you..." He kissed her gently on the lips to try to show he meant no harm. "I want to discover you and your wonders...and I want you to do the same with me, can you do that?" Melody didn't know what to do or what to feel. If she said no, then how could she say she loved him if she refused to show it, but if she said yes...all those tales of broken bonds and empty hearts from her younger days came back to her, filling her mind with fear.

"I don't want to lose you." She said quietly "Not again...oh please, not again." Michael gently shushed her, running his hand through her hair and listening to her panicked breathing.

"You won't...I promise you that you won't..." He whispered as she nearly cried at the thought of what he wanted to do. "I kept my promise to find you...can you let me promise to find you again?" Melody looked up at him in pain and in longing, staring into his grey rimmed eyes, whimpering as she asked him

"Promise me?" she asked, her voice quivering.

"With all my being." Michael said as sincerely as possible.

"...Please..." she whimpered as she lowered her head to his, touching their foreheads and closing her eyes, tears stifled behind closed eyes.

Michael wondered how it would happen, and how it would feel then it did. He had been told it would be like losing half of your heart, like feeling you were no longer whole. His heart pounded in his ears, the only other sound being Melody's breathing as he waited in fear of what would happen. A sudden click and a tearing in his chest like a string had just been snapped, lurching through his body and mind, making him feel sick as if had drank the essence of death itself. Melody recoiled and cried out, clutching her chest as she felt the same horrible sensation of minds being severed and her heart being torn in two. Both gasped at the newfound emptiness that echoed throughout their bodies, as if they had become nothing but shadows in a world full of whole people. Their minds begged for death rather than feel this sudden crushing loneliness and isolation, even as they were so close. As the shock ebbed away, the emptiness remained and did nothing but sit heavy in their hearts, like their chests had been torn open and a lead weight sewn in. They looked up at each other, and saw one another with the eyes of a stranger. There was no warmth in their gaze and no love in their minds as they looked over the other, it was as if they had never even met. Looking down at their naked forms, they both suddenly felt the urge to cover themselves in front of the stranger they saw each other as. Melody gathered her dress and slipped it on while Michael buttoned his shirt and pulled up his pants, sitting on the edge of the bed with a blank stare, wondering what he had done. He spoke for the first time without familiarity in his voice to the stranger who lay behind him

"...I'll find a bed outside..." He said, the thought of holding her in her sleep now being one that seemed distant and embarrassing. She only made a small murmur in response as he got up and made his way out.

"Michael...goodnight..." She said meekly as he left. Michael forced himself to respond to the new person who had spoken to him.

"Goodnight Melody..." He said as he exited and walked down the corridor of the cold and silent Pokémon centre, each step heavy, each needing more effort than the last. He collapsed in the middle of the hallway, clutching his chest with tears flowing from his eyes as he sobbed pitifully for the woman he had once loved. Now she sat in a room where they had consummated their love, with only the memory of lying with a strange man to carry with her into the night.

Tom awoke the next morning with a headache like no other. He had drunken more than he would have wished at the celebrations last night and know paid the price. Not since before he had become a priest had he had so much alcohol, his immunity to the substance from days spent in seedy countries and bars long gone. He reached up to try and rub away the pain from his pounding skull, but felt a weight pinning his arm. He also noticed just noticed how warm he felt despite somehow having discarded his shirt the night before and that he was not covered by any sheets. A bolt of surprise ran through his mind as he looked down to find himself holding on to a sleeping Layla, following by a rush of embarrassment, confusion, fear and maybe a bit of happiness. She felt warm in his arms as her furred form lay so close to him, head resting over one of his arms and nuzzled into his chest. Her ear twitched slightly as he shifted, struggling to even remember falling asleep the night before, looking around to see he was not in the Pokémon centre, or even in the newly constructed cabin. The ground was strewn with a blanket and they lay under a tree behind the cabin, the cool morning air about them with the scent of fresh dew. He wondered if anyone had seen them like this, he wondered how they had gotten here, but most of all he wondered if Layla had agreed to this while he had been drunk. He sighed and muttered to himself, choosing to wait with Layla in his arms until she woke up, the heat from her body being the one thing that kept him warm in the morning air.

"Christ...How did this happen?"

It was only a short while before she awoke as well, feeling the movement Tom made as he lay beside her. Her mind was hazed with sleep and it took her as long as Tom did to notice where she was, letting out a small yip of surprise as she looked up at him. He looked a bit haggard and a slightly sick to her, most likely because of what he had drunken, she thought. It took a second for her to speak, and it came out clumsily.

"You...are awake..." She said, thinking of how stupid it sounded to say it.

"Yes..." Tom replied, trying to find a way to ask her how this happened. "What...what did I do last night?" His memory failed him, but he did remember small snippets of singing and dancing, and of Layla dancing clumsily with him.

"...do you...did you forget?" She asked with an edge of hurt in her voice masked by her confusion.

"No, I...alcohol can make you forget things..." he explained, using a free hand to rub his tired eyes. "I think I drank too much last night...can you please explain?" Layla's mind flashed back to the previous night, remembering how Tom had sung and danced with her, then as the nights festivities ended she had escorted him back to the Pokémon centre where they had slept before.

But Tom had said he wanted to take a walk first, after all that had happened and to set his mind straight, despite how those words had come out a bit slurred and in a heavy accent. She had gone with him, knowing he seemed a bit off but not knowing exactly the reason why, not having seen the effects of alcohol before. He walked around the perimeter of the town, starring into the night sky above. He had told her of some of the stars, most of which she didn't remember, but somehow the conversation turned. They began to talk about their lives, or more specifically, Tom began to talk of his. She had told him snippets of hers, but he had told her of his previous life. He told her how lonely he had felt ever since this catastrophe had started and how he was forced to abandon the life he had made for himself and resume killing in the name of survival. But then he had told her of when they had met. They had sat down against the rear of the cabin as he told her, legs tired from walking. He had spoke of how she had become a friend to him and soon a close partner, forged in the experienced they shared. He recalled how he had carried her during their walk from the Burnt tower to Ecruteak, and then on to Olivine. He explained how confused he had been in Olivine and why he went to such length to protect her from the men who insisted they pay for what they did not want. Finally he told her something that made him frightened, having gone from seeing her as a Pokémon comrade to a person he could talk to and care for, nervous and confused. He had held her close, gazing upon her face as he told her

"I think I'm falling for you..."

Those words had stuck in her mind, and her heart with its own confused feelings responded in kind, telling him the same. Their faces had touched and soon their lips had met, holding each other as the heat coursed through them from the lustful kiss they shared. Their hands had roamed free and Tom's shirt had been discarded and as lay in feverish passion with each other's intoxicating scent on their bodies. Exhaustion had overtaken them before they went further, which both were ,in a way ,thankful for, soon holding each other as they slowly drifted to sleep.

She recounted this tale to Tom, blushing as she explained how they had fallen into that lustful kiss, Tom being no less embarrassed than she. She had the urge to kiss him again, rekindle the passion from the previous night, but was far too embarrassed and confused to do so. Both shifted out of each other's grasp as they heard the first of the cabin dweller awaken, feet pounding on the hard floor. Tom gathered his shirt and quickly tossed it back on, smoothing it out before helping Layla to her feet from where she sat. He let out a light laugh as her stomach growled, realising how hungry she was and resolving to have breakfast before anything else.

"We'll talk about this later" he said, putting a hand on her shoulder.

"Y-yes...we can eat first..." she agreed, still embarrassed by the whole situation.

"We have food back inside" he said, leaning down as planting a gentle kiss on her forehead, surprising her as more heat rose to her face. "Come on..."

It was all she could do not to stumble as she took his hand, letting him lead her back to the Pokémon centre where they would find breakfast, and maybe something deeper.


	22. Chapter 22

Breakfast was being served out of the Pokémon centre, the defacto centre of all operations, using some supplies scavenged from stores in the trees which had more or less survived the blaze. A group of men had flown up with a group of flying Pokémon and taken all they could from the wrecked houses and stores, with food going to the Pokémon centre to be portioned out and any belonging finding their way back to the owners. The morning meal consisted of tinned foods, bread and a few berries that had been found preserved in jars, handed out by volunteers throughout the town.

Michael had awoken lying against the hallway hall, his back stiff and his joints aching from how he had slept. The pain in his chest caught him immediately and the emptiness filled his mind, bringing a rush of emotions to tear at his mind. He could no longer feel Melody's presence in his mind and, in a way, could hardly feel himself, the space now clouded with longing and grief. But as he picked himself up and stood with great effort, he felt something else in his chest. A tightening, like a spring coiling back, spread through his heart. It flowed along with all of the other emotions he felt now but didn't follow the thread of hopeless and sorrow, instead rising above them and into something he wanted to hold on to. As he thought of the promise he made last night he realised what it was. Hope. He smiled gently at the revelation he he could feel hope in these times, straightening up and walking towards where he smelled breakfast being prepared. He was halfway down the hall when he realised he had forgotten to check on Melody, something he never had to do before when they were connected, and so turned and made his way back to the room where this new saga of trials had begun.

He was nervous when he knocked on the door; almost enough so that he wanted to turn and run in repulsion of what he would see and feel, but steeled himself and opened the door a second after knocking. When he entered, Melody was still asleep on the bed, curled up into a ball with her head on the pillow. Michael felt both happiness and sadness seeing her so peaceful but seeming so isolated, moving over to the bed and placing a hand gingerly on her shoulder, the action feeling out of place and wrong when he did so. He called her name as he softly shook her shoulder, making sure not to shake so hard as to cause pain in the other. Her eyes fluttered open, widening for a moment when she saw him and them shutting tightly as the sudden influx of emotions courses through her as well. At first she had seen a stranger look over her, then realising who it was and feeling the horror flood back into her mind. At that moment Michael wanted to hold her, but knew it wouldn't feel the same for either of them and the feelings of repulsion brought on by the broken bond stopped him.

"They're serving breakfast now. We need to get there soon if we want to eat." He said gently as she sat up in bed, taking a few moment to try hold back the tears from her eyes at what she felt, but also from the pain in her shoulder that now grew with the painkillers wearing off.

"C-can you help me out of bed?" she asked, not sure if she could focus on levitation at a time like this. Michael nodded held her hand, something which made her feel awkward now, and guided her off the bed. With a few shaky steps she was able to focus her mind enough to lift herself from the ground and float away from his grip. They both then made their way down the hallway, light glinting off the linoleum floors in the cool morning light.

"...does your shoulder still hurt?" Michael asked, unable now to sense her thoughts or part of her pain, sounding stupidly obvious to him.

"It hurts a little more...I might need some more medicine." Melody said, trying to make small talk as they walked.

"Well, I can ask the nurse for some...maybe she can give us some for the journey?" he said, hint of optimism trying to weave its way into the conversation.

"Yes...that would help..." she said as they crossed the main lobby to the glad double door and out into the cold morning air. The sudden temperature change brought numbness to Michaels face and a small stinging pain to Melodys shoulder.

A table with pots and bowls had been set up near the entrance, the smell of soup and broth wafting through the sharp morning air. They took their places in line and waited, Michael surveying the camp as they did. Most were eating inside the cabin where it was warmer but some chose to scatter themselves outside and eat in small groups, mostly consisting of trainers and their Pokémon, chirping happily and eating their meals. Michael was given a bowl of soup, a piece of bread and a hard blue berry with skin like that of an orange, which he was told was called an Oran berry, while Melody was given a small bowl of what looked like dry cat food to Michael, but was obviously enough processed Pokémon food. Melody looked at the bowl slightly disdainfully, never having eaten processed food during their travels. Michael decided to try remedy that, a small favour but something none the less.

"She isn't used to Pokémon food, could we some berries?" He asked the man serving the meals, who shrugged and motioned to the jars of berries at the end of the table.

"Sorry, we're trying to stretch the food and Pokémon food isn't meant for humans, so it's the best we can give them right now." He said, moving on to serving the next person and forgetting the two of them.

Melody sighed, hearing a voice call out and looking over to see Layla, Tom, Will and Valerie sitting by the cabin eating their meal. She made her way over to them, Michael staying slightly behind and looking back at the man serving the people. With the best timing he could manage, he put his hand into a jar near the end of the table and quickly pocketed two gourd shaped yellow skinned berries, recognising them as the mouth numbingly sour Sitrus berry that Melody liked. He made his way quickly to the others, allowing himself a small grin halfway when he knew he hadn't been caught. Everyone greeted him as he sat down in the small circle before going back to their meals. Will was now looking much better, skin looking as healthy as it could be for a man of his age and enjoying the warm soup he dipped his bread in. Tom and Layla were quietly eating their meals, with Layla not seeming to mind the Pokémon food despite how much she enjoyed proper meat when they could get it. Valerie shyly sat and ate her meal, feeling unknown in the small group, having only just met them all last night. As if he could read Michaels mind, Tom motioned to Valerie.

"So who is this girl?" he asked "She just came and sat with us, said she knew you too."

"She's...she's the one who took care of Melody when...when we were separated." Michael said awkwardly, unable to find exact words, deciding to explain from the beginning. "When we went through the portal the first time, when Will found one for us, Melody and I met her."

"What was she doing in the middle of the forest anyway?" Will asked, having been told some of the story straight after the event, but that was from a man who was broken and had skipped over details.

"She was helping an injured Pokémon...It had gotten hurt when they tried to escape from a camp they were held in. We talked to her and she showed us where some food was...then...then two men from Aqua and Magma found us, they'd been looking for her, and tried to hunt us down." He said, feeling like he was being lost in the memory as he told them. "We got back to the portal, they found it too but Valerie distracted them long enough for Melody to disarm them...then I fell into the portal..."

"So the lass had been trekking all over the place with Melody?" Tom said, turning to Valerie with a warm smile. "You're a survivor, girl, I'll give you that." Valerie smiled slightly in embarrassment.

"Well then we definitely owe her something" Will said, his mind suddenly clicking on a thought and asking with a hint of uneasiness in his voice. "Where's that Pokémon she was treating?...did it...well, die?"

Valerie reached into her bag which sat at her legs and pulled out a Pokeball, catching Will's attention immediately as he watched her depress a small switch on the side of the device. A flash of red light shot from the ball as it eased open, striking the ground and materialising as a small brown furred rabbit like creature with puffs of cream coloured fur around it's ears and lower half. Will laughed aloud when he saw the creature, but more from the excitement of seeing this being go from being stored as energy to physical form. It looked around and called out happily.

"Bunnery!" it called, running to Layla's plate of Pokémon food and taking some for itself. Layla looked down on the little Pokémon with slightly annoyance. If it were a more mature and less fragile creature she would have slapped it away from her meal, but she could do little as she watched it eat her breakfast in annoyance.

"Have you anywhere else to go?" Melody asked as Will leaned down to observed the little creature, who looked back up, poking the lenses of his glasses with curiosity.

"We were going to head to Lilycove if...if you hadn't turned up." She said, looking over at Michael. "But now...I guess I don't know where I'll go." She said with a small laugh.

"You have family anywhere?" Tom asked, wondering over what to do with the girl. His conscience couldn't just send her away if she had nowhere to go.

"My mother lived over in Kanto...I came here to live with my grandmother, she runs the herb store in Lavaridge." She said. "That's how I knew what to do with this little guy...". She looked down at the little Bunnery who was now trying to see through Will's glasses, swaying slightly at the distorted world.

"...is she okay?" Michael asked. Valerie looked down for a second and sighed, gaze seeming to fix on the horizon.

"I think she would have gotten out of Lavaridge before Magma and Aqua overtook it...she always was a fighter." She said, laughing as she remembered her grandmother's regiment of physical fitness, all thanks to the herbs she was constantly hopped up on, a reason she had been living so long and so well in her old age. "I remember that she'd sometimes challenge the fighting Pokémon to matches of running around the town, and she won a lot...always giving them herbs to help their endurance afterwards."

"What about your mother? Any chance of getting back to her?" Tom asked

"If I could get to Kanto, but I don't want to go back right now, I can take care of myself." She said, Tom rolling his eyes.

"You have one, infantile Pokémon, little money I'm guessing and no one to help you if something happens." Tom said bluntly, looking over to Layla who was trying to eat the rest of her meal before the bunnery had a chance to get at it again. "Sounds to me like you can't for now."

"Well, I...you're right." Valerie sighed dejectedly. She didn't have much of a plan now. She really liked Melody too, unhappy to see her friend stolen away from her. "...Maybe I can come with you guys? You're all travelling, right?". Tom chuckled inwardly, as it was what he was going to suggest anyway, but decided to tease the girl just a bit.

"Another one?...I don't know, we're trying to get by on very little here...another mouth to feed..." He said, falsely mulling over the decision and scratching his stubble ridden chin.

"I can cook." Valerie perked up. "I know herbs that can be used for flavouring, berries too, a-and I know where to find them. Will you take me with you then?". For Tom that sealed the deal. Having someone who could cook a meal and forage for things was a valuable asset, but decided to tease her a little more.

"Hm...I still don't know. We've only got enough supplies for who we have now..." He said, a small smile creeping onto his face. By this time everyone but Valerie had realised what he was doing, save Will who was trying to get his glasses back from the curious little Bunnery.

"I don't have much money...b-but if we go to Lilycove, I can buy some supplies.' She said quickly. "I can get a few tents and...and I can get some sleeping bags too." The idea of sleeping in a soft sleeping bag under a dry tent was an idea Tom, and the others, could never pass up.

"Alright, alright." He laughed. "You can come with us and we'll stop at Lilycove before we go anywhere else..." He stopped and thought for a moment, a serious look passing over his face for a moment before he finished the last of his soup and got up to return the bowl he had been given.

Michael watched him go then turned to Melody, who was eating the Pokémon food, uncertain of whether she liked it or not. Heavy was the only way to describe it, tasting slightly of nuts and vegetables, with a slight tang of vitamins added for the benefit of the Pokémon eating it. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the two small gourd shaped berries, holding them out to her. Although the pain in his heart ached a like a thousand hammers being driven into his chest, that spark of hope and near happiness shined though when he saw her eyes light up at the two berries he held out. He didn't know what she was thinking anymore but it was obvious when she took them and eagerly bit into one, savouring the nostalgic taste of sweet and sour.

"Thank you." She said quietly as she ate the berry. "How did you get them?"

"I...well I took them when no one was looking." Michael said sheepishly. Melody glanced back at the table which held the food being served to where the berry jars where.

"Are you turning into a thief, now?" She asked with a small glance as she ate. Michael didn't know if she was chiding him or if she was serious, not used to reading her face as often as her mind. He stuttered for words a bit before Melody stepped in. "Thank you, it was...kind.". Michael smiled a bit, Tom returning and sitting back down near Layla, looking as if he had something to say.

"Do you want one?" Melody asked Michael unexpectedly.

"no...no I'll stick to this one." He said, holding up the Oran berry and taking a bite. Although soft and dry, the flavours of it mixed into something he could not describe, seeming an equilibrium of sweet and bitter, sour and savoury.

"Think I could try one?" Tom spoke up, about to say something before Melody had spoken and now going along with the conversation. Melody held out one of the Sitrus berries and he reached over to grab it, taking a moderate bite before his face immediately went through a range of looks that, Layla thought, were absolutely hilarious.

"Ah, Jesus that's...like my first whiskey." He said, throat and mouth burning from the great sourness the fruit held. "I think I'll pass on the rest..." He handed the berry back to Melody and got up, looking over to Michael.

"Michael, I need to talk to you about something." He said simply, walking past Michael and towards the outskirts of the town. Michael got up and followed as Tom expected, the others exchanging curious looks as he left, Melody and Layla more so than anyone else.

Tom and Michael walked side by side around the perimeter of the camp, the exercise serving to extinguish any fatigue from the morning in the warm light of the sun. They walked for a quarter of a circuit before Tom spoke up.

"You heard that thing two nights ago, didn't you?" Tom said "You heard it speak?". Michael realised at once that he was referring to the dragon like creature that had appeared over the encampment, commanding the portal to somehow close.

"Yes, I heard it too..." He said, still unsure of what to make of it. Tom sighed as he continued.

"Yes, but nobody else did." He said, scratching his chin. "I asked around, nobody else heard it say anything...they were plenty impressed, seeing that thing floating in the sky, but according to them...it just sat there for a while then disappeared the way we saw it."

"It said it was called Palkia...isn't that what the monk called who the temple revered?" Michael said, remembering the symphony of noise that somehow spoke straight to his mind. A creature that commanded the portal to close, a creature who seemed godly in many ways, it was no surprised it was worshiped.

"Yeah, it is." Tom confirmed. "That monk was pretty excited to hear of its appearance...but why did he speak to us in the first place?" Michael looked through the forest, trying to organise his thoughts on the matter, furrowing his brows in concentration.

"It said...it said 'not of us'" Michael said slowly. "And it said something about its domain...". Toms sighed and redirected their path, turning into the camp again and aiming for a small group of people near the edge of the town. Michael asked where they were going but it became obvious when he saw that the group of people they were approaching were all dressed in tradition robes of gold and orange, heads shaved and bead chains on their wrists.

"He'll know if this all means anything, if that thing only spoke to us there has to be a reason..." Tom said, waving to the old monk as he saw them. He opened his arms in greeting, welcoming them into the group.

"Ah, brothers, I heard of what happened at the temple. I wished I had been there to see it and envy my brothers here for their chance to do so." He said, motioning to the monks around him who had been part of the exodus from the camp after that night. "But the past is unchangeable so enough of that, how may I help you both?"

"We'd like to talk to you about Palkia." Tom said "We have some questions about its appearance..."

"Well, ask away and I will tell you all I can." He said, the other monks smiling and looking more than happy to spread their word to curious travellers. But tom eyed them uneasily and spoke again in a slightly hushed tone.

"We'd...be more comfortable if we spoke to you alone..." Tom said. The old monk did not object but a curious smile creased the corners of his mouth as he turned to his brothers and dismissed them. They all wandered a slight way away and sat down again in their own group, talking calmly of things Michael and Tom did not understand.

"Very well, some matters must be respected to be private." He said, sitting and motioning for them to do the same. The grass was slightly damp and annoyed Michael with its coldness, but he did so, as did Tom. "Now brothers, what is it you wish to know of Palkia?"

Tom fixed his gaze on the old monk before beginning, choosing his words carefully as he spoke.

"We were in the middle of repelling the men who took over the temple...I'm sorry it had to get violent." Tom said, trying to break the ice slightly with an apology for breaking the sanctuary's code of nonviolence.

"Regrettable yes, but it will be forgiven, as all things eventually must, and we are happy that it can again become a peaceful place for Humans and Pokémon alike." He said, closing his eyes slightly in contemplation.

"...when Palkia appeared, while we were repelling them, it...well, it spoke..." Tom said, finding the best way to say anything in this situation was bluntly, but still unsure of how the monk would react to this. His face was unreadable for a moment but soon grew into a smile as he raised his arms.

"Well, brothers, you are truy blessed it have heard Palkia speak, as well as see him in all his glory!" he said joyfully, eager to hear more. "Tell me, what did Palkia say to you?"

"That's what we came to talk about." Tom said, still turning the words over in his mind. "We're...unsure of what it meant by them..."

"The wisdom of such a being can seem illogical and unfathomable to mortals, that we can only hope to understand, but we must take what we can decipher from it." He said sagely. "Tell me and I will try to understand Palkia's words." This time Michael spoke, remembering the words with great clarity.

"First...well, it only spoke to us, no one else heard it's voice." Michael explained, drawing an thoughtful murmur from the monk. "It saw the two of us and... and it said 'not of us'." The monks gaze remained unfocused as he now thought over these words.

"I know you are not from this world, brother, you came from beyond those portals which are troubling the world so." He said, working the thoughts into words like a potter worked clay. "Palkia may have realised this, and from his actions of closing the disturbance above the temple, may think you related to them somehow."

"But we aren't." Tom spoke up. "These portals just...they just appeared out of nowhere in our world as well. We just...got caught up in it all." Tom sighed and the monk raised his hand as if to calm him.

"It is not my place to declare that as truth, but perhaps Palkia spoke to you two for the reason that you are not of his domain." He said, Michael suddenly remembering the second thing it had said.

"Where is Palkia's domain?" Michael asked, trying to solve the puzzle of the words as the monk did.

"Why, everywhere. Palkia is lord over everything that is, commanding the very space of the world. He is partnered with Dialga, whose domain is time; everything that will be and that has been is hers." He explained. "These disturbances must be an invasion on Palkia's domain, which he is fighting to stop. Perhaps you two are considered part of that, and he wishes to return you."

"But, I asked who he was and he tried to tell us but..." Michael remembered the odd disappearance of the cosmic being, flinging himself to the ground in anger and pain as he called out to them. "He disappeared...he looked like he was fighting something when he flew away."

"Fighting something? The only thing that would be a match for the lord of space would be...well, he is unrivalled as far as we know." He said, looking puzzled by Michael's inadequate description. "Even Dialga would not be able to fight him, or him her, as they must work in harmony for space and time to be one."

"He told us something else too..." Michael said slowly, the words even more meaningless in his mind. "Where he cannot go, where earth...holds blades, bullets and pain, waiting to forge..." The monk smiled gently as he eyed Michael with thoughtful eyes.

"Ah, now that is a riddle." he said

"Where does he mean?" Tom asked. "Is he talking about a battlefield? Old weapons dropped and left to rust?"

"I think you'll find the important question is not where Palkia is directing you, but why he is directing you there." The monk said, raising a finger. "And then by that deduction, who he is speaking of."

"I'm sorry, we hardly know anything of this place. We didn't even know who Palkia really was before you told us." Tom explained, the monk chuckling good heartedly.

"It is okay brother, to be honest i cannot fathom who Palkia is speaking of myself." He said "But I imagine whomever he speaks of may be revealed if you follow his riddle, to where the earth holds blades, bullets and pain." He smiled with a knowing glint in his squinted eyes.

"If he means a battlefield then...we don't even know of any battlefields in this world, and there'd be thousands of them." Tom said frustratedly, the monk gesturing with a hand as he spoke.

"Well brother, he speaks of a forge, what does that tell you?" he said, edging their minds towards the answer he had conjured from Palkia's words. Michael spoke now, remembering what Melody had told him of the enslavement of the townspeople, the manufacture of weaponry in badly maintained forges.

"Maybe he means where they're made? A factory?" Michael said. The nodded slightly, gesturing as if to urge Michael on. "...and...Where the earth holds it..."

"Metal." Tom spoke up. "Bullets and blades are made of metal...lead, really, but it's a metal."

"Yes, now where does the earth hold metal?" The monk asked, needlessly guiding them to the answer that was only a step away.

"A mine...but there are hundreds of mines as well!" Tom said, raising his voice in anger slightly. "We wouldn't even be following this trail if we didn't think it might have the tiniest chance of stopping all lf this...we could at least have tried to live out the short time in peace...". His voice lowered as he spoke. It was true, it would be easier to simply accept fate and live out their last days without regrets; none of them wanted anything to do with this in the first place. They could stay in this town and help rebuild, all of them settle down as a family, but when this one opportunity presented itself to stop all of this and give them their lives back and more, it seemed illogical not to follow, but still so very hard.

"Yes, you are right. To lay down and rest is tempting, but facing your problems and ridding yourself of your desires is part of the journey of life." The monk said wisely. "Although it is only my thoughts, I would think that if Palkia truly wanted to guide you to this place, his vagueness would have to be referring to a place that is well known by humans."

"We're not-" Tom was interrupted as the monk raised a finger and nodded.

"Yes, brother, you are at a disadvantage. Therefore I will tell you of where I think Palkia is leading you. I owe you at least that much for freeing the townspeople and in turn liberating the temple." He said. "The place I believe you were told of is a place known as Iron Island., off the coast of Canaclave city in the region of Sinnoh. It was an old mine, though it was abandoned after the ore ran out, and now is open as a Pokémon sanctuary where trainers may battle. It is highly popular because a small number of rare Pokémon inhabit the island. That is where I believe you are being directed."

"How do we get there?" Michael asked. "Where is Sinnoh?"

"It a region far from here, across both Johto and Kanto, it is an island off the mainland, larger than Hoenn. How you will get there, I cannot know." He said, seeing Michaels face fall slightly. He closed his eyes for a moment and thought, deciding to do one last kindness before they would leave. "However, my brothers and I shall spread the word that you are in need and ask for any help one can give."

"Thank you." Tom sighed "That's a bit of help, it'll be a long journey either way...". The monk only nodded as they both rose to their feet and took their leave.

Michael and Tom made their way back to the group in relative silence. The morning was growing warmer and the sun climbing higher in the sky, humidity leaving the air, wind beginning to pick up and whistle through the trees. Work had now begun, with a few people beginning to set about recovering more of what they could from the charred houses above. They both watched and felt the ground vibrated slightly as the workers began the painful process of tearing down the burnt timber, demolishing decades of history and memories, plank by plank. When they approached, everyone had finished their meals and greeted them with expectant stares, asking silently or an explanation. Tom sat down near Layla and gave them all a simple run over of the plan, skipping a few details in lieu of shortening the conversation.

"We went to talk to one of the monks. We tried to get information on that thing that closed the portal above the temple, remember?" He said. "It's called Palkia, a Pokémon that might as well be a god in his own right...". Layla gave a small gasp when she heard the name, drawing an enquiring look for Tom.

"Palkia...Palkia is a legend in all Lucario tribes...he's a legend to all Pokémon anyway." She said, realizing that she had actually seen the legendary figure her tribe members had told of. "Every Riolu is told the stories about how he protects the world...he upholds it. It's said he once banished an entire tribe of Pokémon who became greedy and tried to take his power...no one knows where they went. All that was found of their tribes land was a great crater, perfectly cut into the ground."

"Why didn't you say you knew what that thing was?" Tom asked, not angered, but gently inquisitive.

"Not many have ever seen him. He's sometimes said to be a dragon, sometimes he is said to be a bird...sometimes he is even said to be a human..." She said quietly. "I can't believe it was him...I didn't know it was Palkia."

"...my grandmother told me stories about him too..." Valerie said, feeling forgotten in the conversation between everyone. She had not spoken for a while and longed to be included with this group who now promised her passage. "He protects the world for things that want to destroy it, she said..."

"That creature, Palkia, I remember a news report about it back when we were in Olivine city..." Will spoke up. "They said it might be the cause of all this...but all they know about it is that it practically controls space, all matter in the universe. They had a few photographs, but everything else was a mystery."

"Palkia was trying to close the portal." Michael said slowly. "...he closed it and then left, why would he do that if he was the cause?"

"Well then, perhaps he is not the cause, but the attempted savoir." Will said, adjusting his glasses slightly and trying to ignore the small Buneary that hankered for attention as it ran around his ankles. "If this quantum anomaly is causing the portals to open, then Palkia may be trying to stop it. It probably knows of what will happen if it is allowed to continue..."

"That's why we're going to try and find him." Tom said. "If Palkia is the closest thing to a god, then enlisting it's help might be an idea."

"That's awfully risky for you." Will said, eyeing Tom slightly. "If we leave it be, then perhaps it will do the job for us."

"But Palkia does not know why it is happening." Melody said, also rather shocked that the creature she had seen through the haze of pain, which now throbbed dully in her shoulder under layers of bandages and gauze, had been the legendary Palkia. "Will...you can help Palkia. Your knowledge has taken us to here, maybe you can help take us back..."

"You're making me out to be a messiah in this situation?" Will stuttered. "I was only here to help you in the beginning; I didn't expect any of this!"

"But you know how to stop this all, don't you?" Michael asked, unsure if Will had the slightest idea of how to halt the destruction of both worlds. He had talked of it, and tried to find away, but never came to a conclusion.

"It's simple in theory, but what's needed to make it work..." Will threw up his hands and shook his head. "It's impossible."

"If we have a god on our side, it would be possible." Tom said, Layla nodded and turned to Will.

"Palkia is always said to be powerful. One of the most powerful Pokémon...what couldn't he do?" She said, confirming Tom's statement. The tales of Palkia were so lauded and his legacy so great that he was thought to hold the world under his command.

"The problem isn't with power...This Palkia would have enough of it. The problem that is the space is between the two worlds is...nothing." He said, trying to explain the utter void that existed between the two dimensions, impossible to ever imagine despite the simplicity of it. "There's no space, no time, t-there's nothing. If Palkia were to try and close these portals it might have some effect...it might even slow the process, but stopping it would require somehow repelling the two worlds from each other."

"Can you tell Palkia how to do that?" Melody asked

"Does Palkia have a PhD in theoretical quantum physics?" Will shot back, sighing and realising they were going to do this either way. "Yes, maybe...fine." Thinking about it, Will did realise that he knew how to stop it, but was bounding himself by psychical laws so strongly embedded in the teachings he had studied. Slowing the processed helped, but it didn't mean it would go away. He estimated it would buy them a few months at the very least, but to actually teach this creature who held so much power, let alone find it, seemed just as much of a long shot as stopping it on his own.

"We can see whether or not it'll help when we get there." Tom finished. "Either way, we're on the road again...hopefully the end of it all will come soon." Everyone agreed with that, but Michael and Melody held back a small anxiousness. When the end came, it begged the question of where they would go, if they would stay together and perhaps be happy again, or if they would not get that far before they were made to choose which road to take. One of them would take the road home and the other would follow, or each would return home and live their lives with only a memory of each other and that burning ache in their chests that told them something was gone forever.

The sun rose higher and each of the group helped with various chores that had to be done. Right now no one complained about doing the work, everyone had been affected and now pooled resources for a common community goal. Michael and Melody worked alongside each other but kept a distance, feeling repelled by the other, not wanting to talk, speak or even be near each other, the pain in their chests increasing whenever they did, like a old scar torn open. Old wood was cleared away and soon the charred tree trunks lay open to the sky like towering totems, the basic structure of the houses being stripped away. Piping had been run through the centre of the tree trunks as well as electrical wiring, leading up to the houses above and providing proper plumbing. However, this did not mean someone did not manage to burst a pipe, sending a cool waterfall down from the treetops, scattering and forming a cooling mist which some workers decided to use to cool them from the heat of the day. Michael had been lurking under the tree and helping to remove the debris which fell from above when he was struck by the watery mist, catching him suddenly. Melody saw this, using her psychic abilities to contribute to removal of larger pieces, laughing as Michael stood glumly under the spray. Karma must have been watching, as no sooner than did she laugh, the spray hit her as well, water running in small rivulets down her gown and soaking her completely. Both of them ended up laughing at the others sorry state, forgetting the repulsion in their minds and not attempting to stifle their laughter, the pain in their chests dulled for that moment. In the end that pipe was left until the water stopped running, something no one complained about. It was around midday when launch began being served, simple sandwiches and cold meats that would go bad if not used soon. It was also about this time that the old monk who had told them of Palkia approached, and accomplished smile on his wrinkled face, bald head covered by a cloth as not to burn in the sun.

"I am pleased to say that I have found a way for you to travel." He announced, motioning to a man who had followed a small way behind him. The man was large, built with muscle on his chest and arms, covered by a tank top and short black pants, skin dark and sporting a bright red bandana over his forehead. He greeted them all and explained his proposition.

"Yeah, I'd be willing to let you use my team for flight." He said, his voice low and bassy. "They're not doing much here and they've been itching to fly, something they can't do much around here."

"Fly?" Will asked gingerly, remembering the great falcon like bird which had flown the young trainer far into the sky while the old woman from the rest house drove them on.

"That's helpful of you, but how would they get back?" Tom asked.

"Ah, they'll remember the way here, great navigators, they are." He said proudly. "They're sure to get you to Kanto."

"Good, how soon can we leave with them?" Tom asked. The man responded by taking the pack from his shoulder and removing three pokeballs, each a different colour and marked with a small letter in gold. He flipped open each one, the red light erupting and forming into three distinct shapes, all winged and large enough to hold a person. The first poke was a great dragon, blue tinted scales glistening in the light, wings rigid and a deep red. Long, hard scales protected it's underside and three blue horns erupted from each side of its head. The second Pokémon towered over the group, two legged with wings like swords and a body like steel, sharp tail stabbing form its rear and head adorned with a single sharp horn. The final Pokémon resembled the first, however its skin was softer and the colour of rich earth, a small robe of leaves running from the base of its neck and down its back where four wings like palm leaves rested. It wore a hard green crown upon its head, seemingly connected around the head by a bunch of bananas, which Will raised an eyebrow to, wondering if the creature somehow grew fruit from it's body.

"They're from all over. As long as they're together you stand no chance of getting lost." The man said, replacing the pokeballs in his bag and walking to the three Pokémon assembled before him, who glanced at the group before turning to him. He spoke to them like he would a team of sportsmen, treating them like brothers and sisters as he told them that they would be flying the group to Kanto. The three each responded rather happily, stretching their wings proudly towards the sky and roaring loudly their names, Salamence, Skarmory and Tropius. The man pumped his fist in the air as encouragement and turned back to the group with a confidant smile.

"They're yours for now, ready to go when you are." He said, picking his backpack back up from the forest floor and slinging to over his shoulder. "I got to get back to work, be safe!" he turned and walked back towards the Pokémon centre, ready to work for the restoration of Fortree.

Michael looked over the three proud creatures, carefully moving towards the Tropius, the least threatening of the three. The Tropius leaned down, swivelling it's head and looking over Michael before motioning to its back and lowering its body. Michael looked over at Melody, who moved over to join him silently.

"He's impatient, he wants to fly." Melody said, patting the head of the Pokémon in what seemed either a greeting or a thanking gesture.

"Do you want to go first?" Michael asked tentatively, remembering how she had been the front seat passenger the first time they had flew. "You liked flying, didn't you?". Melody smiled a fraction and levitated herself slightly higher, lifting herself into the back of the Tropius. Michael tried to jump up onto the creatures back, but was left scrabbling on the edge, gripping and trying to pull himself up. The Tropius grunted annoyingly, Melody nodding her head.

"He hasn't flown many times before..." She spoke, preferring psychic over speech so Michael could hear the remark. "Try not to throw him off." She laughed softly, allowing herself to reach out with her mind and grab Michael, levitating him above and behind her, dropping him onto the back of the Pokémon.

Tom approached the lumbering blue dragon and slung himself over its back, Layla doing the same and taking her place behind Tom. The Salamence tightened its wings in anticipation of lift off, waiting as Tom and Layla watched Will clumsily holding onto the neck of the metal plated bird beside them, Valerie rolling her eyes and muttering slightly about being stuck behind Will for the rest of the journey. She clambered onto the Skarmory back behind Will, having to hold his midsection as for stability and a brace for lift off. Soon, when everyone was saddled and ready to go, the three Pokémon began to flap their mighty wings. The air rushed against the ground and their legs tensed, leaning back and getting ready for the final push. Everyone was thrown back as the Pokémon leapt and took flight under the power of their powerful wings of scale, steel and foliage. Melody gasped as she felt them leave the group, the weightlessness catching her in the updraft as they soared high above the trees at speeds that made the wind whip her face. Michael held on, but was slightly less fazed than the last time he had flown, feeling lightheaded as he looked down over the town. People watched them soar, distracted from their work for only a second before returning, save one. The man who had given them these magnificent flying Pokémon waved from the ground, fare welling the team he had travelled all over the world with. He instinctively grabbed Melody's midsection for support, earning a small gasp from her and a blush from both as they realised. But he didn't let go, having to deal with the awkwardness as they soared higher and higher above the trees, watching the shining vista unfold beneath them. It was beauty, the sea rising up on the horizon and the mountains growing behind them, paths clearing cutting through the forest and stretching for miles to each city.

Tom yelled in triumph and excitement as they soared, daring to throw his arms up against the wind as he looked down at the land beneath them. It was as if, for a moment, he ruled the sky. Layla, on the other hand, was arguably less comfortable being hundreds of feet above the ground with only an unknown Pokémon to hold her up. He had no problem with heights; the mountains had dissipated that fear long ago, but hated the feeling of not having a solid surface beneath her. The wings beating behind her sent small jolts through the body of the might Salamence, shaking her and making her feel as if she could fall from this perch. She grabbed Tom's shoulders and held fast, pushing his arms back down and speaking to him sternly.

"Do that again and we'll both fall..." She said angrily, flushing slightly in admittance of the fear. Tom just laughed and kept his arms down. He looked over at Will, who also held to the Sakrmory's neck as if fearful of falling, but holding a wide grin on his face. Will, despite the obvious feeling of being so far above ground, was enjoying experiencing a seemingly impossible mode of transportation as the Skarmory glided along the winds, occasionally flapping it's razor wings and changing course. Valerie just sat behind him, annoyed at having to hold his shoulders and having to share space during the flight.

They flew for only an hour before the city of Lilycove peaked above the trees, the tall buildings cutting away at the forest and leading on to a shimmering ocean, the flight having shortened the travelling time significantly. Layla spoke quickly to the Salamence who had taken them this far, relaying the messaging to all three of the Pokémon to set down in the city. None of them had realised how fast they were going before the Pokémon dived, sending the wind rushing past their ears and a sudden jolt through their bodies as the three pulled up and opened their wings to slow their descend. They were aimed for a small open paved area, surrounded by grass and small paths to quaint houses, no one even bothering to turn their heads as the three Pokémon softly set down on the paved concrete. The city itself seemed vastly different from Olivine, being smaller and more open to the elements. The sea breeze rushed in from the east and grass flourished in-between the paths, natural rock faces remaining intact to split the city into two levels. Where they were now seemed like the centre of the city, if it could be called that with its semirural aspect. A Pokémon centre lay behind them and the path continued out to the seaside cliffs beyond them, peaceful and generic coast houses lining the street. The roar of the ocean was in the air as they dismounted the flying creatures, stretching after the flight, bodies aching slightly from the ride.

"You said something about tents and blankets, girl?" Tom said, Valerie nodded and pointing excitedly to a great blue building which towered above the rest, resting above them on the upper level of the city.

"Yeah, Lilycove has one of the biggest department stores in Hoenn! You can find anything there." She said excitedly. "They sell food, Pokémon items, clothes, shoes-"

"And we're only getting what we need, right?" Tom said sternly, rolling his eyes. Valerie nodded her head dejectedly. "Good, we'll need tents, blankets, small cooking pots and maybe some dried food for when we can't get anything else."

"What do we do?" Will asked. "I assume you're not going to leave us here for a few hours?"

"At least one of us has to watch the Pokémon" Valerie said. "We haven't got their pokeballs and we can't leave them alone..."

"Will and I can do that." Michael said, looking through the area at all the people milling about. There still weren't as many as olivine but the city was certainly populated.

" ...could I come with you?" Melody asked quietly. "I've never been here before..." Her tone betrayed her words, wavered by something deeper concealed by them. Valerie nodded happily as she followed on, giving only a small glance back at Michael, Will and Layla before she left.

The three were left alone, the Pokémon they had flown in on resting on the paved path, boredly looking around them at the small crowd of people who went about their lives, wanting to fly again soon and be free. The sun was high in the sky and the call of seagulls could be heard over the roar of the ocean, waves propelled by the sea breeze which skirted up the cliffs and throughout the town. With no idea how long the others would be gone, they wandered slightly down the path towards the cliffs, fenced off with a decorative railing, small birdlike Pokémon carved into the wood. They looked out over the sea, shimmering like sapphire in the sunlight, seeing no land on the far off horizon. It made them all think of how far the journey had been so far and in turn how far it would be to go. Will leaned on the railing and turned to Layla, asking something that had been on his mind.

"Why didn't you go with Tom?" He asked, the wind rustling his thin white hair.

"I don't like crowded places like that..." Layla said curtly.

"That's never stopped you before." Will said, drawing out the conversation. It wasn't often he talked to Layla, actually, it wasn't often Layla talked to anyone else but Tom. "You two go everywhere with each other, you're partners by now."

"I just don't like crowded places." She insisted, turning away to nonchalantly watch the waves roll towards the shore below. Will kept the blank look of indifference in his face.

"Something on your mind?" he asked innocently, seeing the look on Layla's features tighten for a moment, eyes closing.

"...No." She said, cutting off the conversation where it lay. Will dropped the subject and looked out again over the sea, though his mind was turning with the smooth machinations it always had, deducting all that it could as he smiled inwardly at what he understood from Layla's reactions.

"Well, it's a beautiful day, and the sea is beautiful here I must say." He said, stretching his arms above his head.

"Hard to think it nearly killed us..." Michael said, the cool wind that now ran over his face being the same wind that had cut to his bones days ago, icy and cruel.

"It was beauty that killed the beast." Will said, quoting from somewhere Michael didn't recognise, silently thinking the phrase over. "King Kong." Will confirmed.

"...I didn't think you would watch that." Michael chuckled.

"In youth, you do many stupid things." Will laughed, Layla not understanding the joke but managing a smile at the exchange.

It was not half an hour before Tom, Valerie and Melody returned, finding the group by the Cliffside and dumping the bags of purchases on the ground. Three small tents and six sleeping bags were packed into two backpacks, while a third carried only a small black cooking pan and bags of travelling foods such as trail mix, dried fruits and canned goods. Valerie looked dejectedly through her small red wallet, now empty save an emergency bank card her grandmother had given her, which she doubted was even loaded with anything, a small bag of Pokeblocks as a treat for Melody having taken the last of her money. It was with this, the group set out again, soaring on the winds and cutting through the sky on three sturdy Pokémon. The packs on their back were only slightly heavy but meant little as they flew, the promise of a comfortable rest tonight and possibly cooked meals on their journeys to come a welcome thought. They flew on, bidding farewell to the region of Hoenn as it grew smaller and smaller on the horizon, soon insignificant. It was almost saddening to see it go, as if a part of them had been left there with everything that had happened, the ocean surrounding them now in an endless blue expanse.

Michael wondered what was going on back in his own world, if the portals were causing more chaos, if more people had encountered Pokémon who were not hostile in the hostile environment they were dropped into. But with all that had happened and the new scars that covered them all, both in mind and body, the old world grew fainter, unimaginable and unreal as this world has been before they had arrived. He wondered if Melody felt the same, way, although this world was her home.

Melody, unbeknownst to Michael, felt the opposite. After seeing his world, the cruelty of it and the bloodshed, coming back to find her own world infected by the same plague of panic and pain. She didn't know which world she belonged to anymore, or which she wanted to be a part of. When all this was over, she would have to choose, and she feared that decision. Part of her didn't want this all to end, because when it did she feared what the outcome would be. The pain she felt, greater than even the bullet that pierced her shoulder, made her feel like crying out with every step. But she didn't, couldn't, which only made it hurt more. In the end, she feared, that the pain would never be vanquished no matter how much she and Michael wanted it to, and that they would go their separate ways, separated by an invisible barrier between their worlds and yearning to somehow return. She had talked to Valerie while they had shopped for supplies, finding the conversation as well as the new sights and sounds distracting from the pain, about everything that had happened. She had told her of what had happened, and when she had Valerie's face had darkened, unknowing of how important the bond was yet unwilling to accept that after so long of trying to find the person who didn't even exist in that world it had ended like this. Melody remembered what Valerie had told her, words that seemed hopeful and hopeless at the same time

"You two...I can see how he loved you. You just have to trust each other with this, I'll help you but...in the end it's you two who decide it."

They flew for hours, the sun setting slowly, as the sea passed beneath them broken only by the occasional sandbar or tiny island. The Pokémon they rode on who surfed the currents of the wind like they commanded the sky, grew weary. They enjoyed flying and their enthusiasm to soar higher and faster knew no bounds, but their aching muscles and eventually their hunger wore them down, soon leading them to settle on a small island, one of a small group which jutted from the sea. The vertigo from the steep dive and hard levelling off soon subsided as they touched down on the surface of the small rocky island, landing in the flattest place possible so the tents may be easily pitched. They dismounted, the sea surrounding them on all sides and now set ablaze by the descending sun was the best vista they could ask for, stretching their legs from the all day flight. As they set up the tents, small enough for two people and with minimal framework, Michael surveyed the island. It was small, steep cliffs of only a few metres in height leading to the shore, but with small outcroppings and eroded areas that made movement from plateau to shore easy. The island was barren, no firewood or plants to be found, the wind easily rushing over the unsheltered rock. Soon enough, the tents were pitched and everyone settled as the sun set on the horizon, shadows creeping along the rock and darkening the land.

They were lucky enough to find driftwood, although only two small logs which were significantly wet, which provided a small fire after the Salamence saved them the trouble of fiddling with a pitiful pack of matches and igniting the logs with a tongue of flame, erupting from it's maw and making everyone scatter backwards a way paces as it wore a smug smile on it's face. Now they all sat around the fire, more for light than warmth, in the darkening world. Tom had been slightly edgy, shifting uncomfortably as he sat on the hard rock, indecisiveness evident on his face. Layla was going to ask what he was thinking over, but before she could he got up and began to walked away from the fire towards a small outcropping if rocks, beckoning her to follow.

"Layla, come with me, we need to discuss something." He said, trying to sound casual to the others as if this were simply about some trivial matter. She got up from her spot and followed, the warmth of the fire leaving her fur as she walked over to Tom, who was now sitting on a rock cropping out of view of the others. If it wasn't for her excellent vision, she wouldn't have seen him, sitting beside him and giving him a silent look of expectation, although she had an inkling of what this was about. He took a breath as if to still himself before beginning.

"Last night…what did it mean to you?" he asked, confusing Layla as to what he meant.

"What are you asking me?" She said. "…last night you were the one who started it all."

"I was drunk, partially at least…words may have slipped my tongue." He said tiredly, running a hand over his face.

"Did you mean them?" She asked gently. She remembered how he had spoken to her, the words which had made her heart race when he had said then. 'I think I'm falling for you.' He sighed and continued.

"I'm sure I did…" he said with a small smile on the edge of his lips. "The alcohol made me say them, sure, but…I think I wasn't able to say them before." He turned to her, looking her straight in the eyes and asked. "But what do you think of it?"

"…It's new. I've never had a friend as close as you." She admitted. She had had friends and comrades who she had fought alongside, but she had never been close enough to call anyone to call them what she thought of Tom as now. "Humans…I've seen those other two with each other. I remember how he looked when he lost her…pathetic and defeated. She seemed happy around him, I saw them dancing during the party and…it's strange…"

"It's strange because it's not common." Tom said. "I'm not from her so I don't know…how often it happens."

"I've never been close to humans….I don't know either." She agreed. She thought of her nest words and her heart began to beat faster, scared to ask, eager for an answer. "The only way to know…do you want to…try it?"

"I don't know…what do you want out of it?" Tom asked, putting an arm around Layla's shoulder, almost afraid she would run away and he would never know the answer.

"When I saw those two dancing…I…" She paused for a second before looking straight at Tom, turning his head slightly so she knew he was focused. "I want that." Toms face slowly broke from a look of surprise into a soft smile, pulling Layla a bit closer and sighing.

"Alright, we'll give it a try." He chuckled gently. Layla looked back slightly, seeing the others sitting around the fire from over the rocky outcropping, being hidden from their view in the darkness. She leaned in and gently kissed Tom, softly lingering on his lips. Tom wasn't surprised at the gesture; keeping his calm and choosing to push into the kiss, letting the soft haze enter his mind and the taught excitement in his chest grow as he ran his hand along her back. They sat there enjoying each other's touch as the night seemed to swallow the island, taking them with it into a dark bliss that filled their minds and let them bask in the warmth of passion. When they did separate, they could only smile awkwardly and manage a warm laugh as they got up, making their way back to the campfire as if nothing had happened. Michael and Melody sat by the campfire while Valerie and Will had entered their tent, one that neither were particularly happy about sharing, to get some sleep. Choosing not to stay up and risk probing questions about their absence, Tom and Layla crawled into their tent and closed the entrance, the cramped space leaving little space as they stretched out over the two sleeping bags. Despite having her own, Layla managed to slide over to Tom and lay beside him with a light grip around his midsection. Neither minded and both soon became too tired to move in the warming air the tent trapped for them, spending the last of their effort to draw the sleeping bag closed. Layla nuzzled her head into Toms chest slightly, closing her eyes as he tenderly kissed her forehead once more before both faded into sleep, the gentle feel of each other being all they needed to feel safe through the night.

Michael and melody had been watching the flames flicker over the burning driftwood, hearing only the gentle snoring and deep breaths of the flying Pokémon behind them. Tom and Layla were still conversing a while away, while Will and Valerie had turned in for the night, leaving them both to sit in the silence, save the sound of waves lapping over the soft sand. It was awkward to sit there, close enough to make their chests ache with the pain of a torn soul and heart, knowing it seemed so easy to put things back. They were strangers to each other once again, knowing and feeling as much about each other as they would to anyone who passed by, but with hearts yearning for more.

"Melody…" Michael began. "How does it feel to you?". He needed to know, unable to know anything she was going to through and killing him inside that he could not help it because of that.

"it feels horrible…" she said quietly. "It's like I…I want myself back. But I don't even know you anymore and…and you're part of me." She did all she could to keep her voice form breaking as she spoke.

"But I want to know you." Michael said softly. "I love you…you can't feel it but I do. I can give you back what you've lost."

"How?" Melody asked, the hope stabbing her and seeming cruel as her mind taunted her that it would never happen. Michael sighed deeply.

"I…want to know about you." He said. "Please, tell me about yourself."

"What can I tell you?" She asked, looking at him now with a stare of intuitiveness over the sadness she held in her eyes.

"Start with your life…what was your home like?" he asked. Melody thought back to her life before all this, her home in the forest and her own people who she had lived alongside.

"Near Fortree, I was born there…" She began. "I don't remember my parents, but all of us were raised as young Ralts by a group of mothers…everyone was like family, it was good. We were allowed to play in the forest…and we always tried to hunt for berries as a game. I don't remember much about that time…I was young. When I evolved, I sometimes went with the older Gardevoirs to the edge of the forest…it wasn't often we did that, but it always for something important. I always followed one of the Gardevoir…she was like my sister, we loved each other. We always made sure to stay close when we moved from place to place. Once we…" She trailed off a bit, a far off and sad look in her eyes, eyes flashing through her memoires so vividly it seemed as if she could step into them. But soon her sight vanished and she was brought back to the lonely reality, beginning to tell the next part of the tale.

"We were travelling to the edge of the forest one day and we found a trainer….he was hurt. His Pokémon saw us and begged us to help…" She said slowly. "They said he had fallen from a cliff and hadn't woken for a day…they were trying to take him to town but…we took him with us instead. We took him back to the tribe and tried to help…humans weren't feared because none had ever come close enough to harm us, and we decided he would not try to hurt us if he helped. My sister was the one who healed him…she knew all about berries and leaves. Everyone went to her for advice, even the little Ralts came to her when they had eaten too many berries." She allowed a nostalgic laughed as she remembered how she herself had sometimes eaten too many berries as a Ralts and become sick afterwards.

"The trainer woke up soon…but he couldn't leave, his leg was too painful to walk on. So for days he stayed and nursed his wounds…my sister was always helping when he tried to walk again or if he was in pain. When he was on his own, she talked to his Pokémon…they told her about their journey and she became fascinated…obsessed even. She journeyed to the edge of the forest...she always told me she wanted to see what was out there beyond the trees." She explained, her voice low and aching as she told the next part. "Finally the trainer was well enough to walk and…he left. But before he left…my sister had told him she wanted to…go with him. I didn't want her to go, I was just a young Kirlia who wanted to be happy…I didn't know why she wasn't happy here after meeting that trainer. She only told me that she hoped she could come back some day and tell me about what she had seen. She said she could take me with her next time and show me what she was told about…she never did come back."

"Did you ever hear about her again?" Michael asked after a short pause.

"All I heard was about a Gardevoir who had been winning contests all over Hoenn….I didn't know what contests they were but…I hope it was her." She said with a sad sigh. "I hope she's happy right now…I wanted to see her come home with a smile."

"If she chose to go with that trainer...I'm sure she was happy. But I'm sure she missed you too, it sounds like she didn't want to leave you behind." Michael said delicately. "When this is over, maybe we can find her and you can tell her all about where you've been…if she's won all those contests then she's bound to have a lot to tell you about." Melody smiled slightly and nodded. 

"I hope we can see her…I think you'd remind her of how she felt about that trainer." She said with a soft smile crossing her face and a whisper of understanding in her eyes. "After that…I grew up. I evolved again and helped raise the young Ralts, just like she had done for me. The Gallades started vying for attention, trying to find a mate in the females…but I never bothered with them…maybe I felt too hopeless after she left but…I became the only one in the tribe without a mate soon after. I gathered berries and helped with anything I could, it was expected, but all I could do otherwise was wait by the edge of the forest and hope that I could see the reason why she had left. For years that was all I ever did…but then this happened and I met you." Michael gave a small smile at the memory of meeting her, confused and lost, both of them.

"And what did you think meeting me was like?" he asked.

"I think it helped…I think I understand why she left now." She looked at Michael with a genuine smile. "And now, I really can't blame her."

Michael smiled back with the same genuine happiness she felt. The pain in their chests was gone as they made their way to their own tent that night, feeling happy with each other, despite the gap between both their sleeping bags and their hearts. The pain would return in the morning and seem as hopeless as before, but perhaps it would be less. Perhaps, there was hope.


	23. Chapter 23

The next morning everyone awoke, though none necessarily wanted to get up, feeling much to comfortable in the warm air of the tents and the softness of their sleeping bags. Tom had been awake for half an hour and Layla ten minutes, but still lay silently and comfortably in their grasps. The sleeping bag was snug and warm, a feeling one didn't often feel when on a journey like this, and so were each other. Michael and Melody awake and feeling the pain that had been felt the previous morning, preferred to lay still, safe in the drowsiness despite these feelings that assaulted them. Will and Valerie were shifting in and out of; neither bothering to acknowledge each other in their bedraggled appearance and choosing to slumber on. Even the Pokémon who slept outside took extra time to rest in the strength sapping warmth of the rising sun. All over that tiny island in the middle of a sea separating them from the mainland, not a sound was heard as all creatures unanimously lay silent. It was if the small island had become another world.

A screech from far above roused Michael from his daze, sounding again as he sat up, high up and unintelligible. He shifted his tired bones and unzipped the small tent flap, shivering as the cool air entered the comforting warmth around him, peeking his head out and starring up at the slowly brightening sky. He could make up three shadows against the purple sky of the morning, flying swiftly. Oddly, they seemed to be hovering over the island, circling it cautiously, a head peaking down from one of the silhouetted creature. Soon enough though, they reared up and flew away, on to the horizon and away from Hoenn. Although they were far away, he could tell there were figures seated upon those shadows heading the same way they were. It seemed to him that perhaps other people had decided to flee Hoenn before it could be completely taken from under them.

He lay down back on his sleeping bag but could not fall back into the welcoming haze of sleep, now having little choice but to get up and hold the unpleasant task of waking everyone else. It wasn't easy for everyone to get up, Tom and Layla panicking slightly when Michael had called to them through the red fabric of their tent. They had not told anyone of this arrangement yet, and although it would come out eventually, they would rather keep it private for now. They unzipped their sleeping bag and wiggled free of the small space, stepping out to join the others in pacing away their things. The tents were packed away, sleeping bags folded neatly into their bags, as well as a small meal of nuts and dried berries shared around. It lacked taste but it was at least nutritious, letting them make their way further so they had hopes of eating something proper again. Valerie's hair, usually long and smooth, now was bedraggled and unkempt; something that Will argued didn't matter in this situation. The two of them argued for a short while but eventually Will won over, convincing her to forget about it and tie it up in the end. Despite her complaining she was quite resourceful in finding a stray piece of fabric from the tattered shirt she had worn when she had first met Michael and Melody.

When all was settled, it was time to take off and once again begin the journey, which the three fliers were eager to do. Taking their places, the air swirled and twisted about them as the three Pokémon drew their wings out and launched themselves into the now pale blue sky. With the wind whipping against their faces and the thrill of soaring high above the ocean, save Layla who still preferred solid ground, Valerie actually saw the wisdom in tying her hair back, thinking that maybe Will wasn't too daft in his argument with her which he had won through sheer persistence.

They soared over oceans blue as a gleaming sapphire, taking the idle time during the flight to look down at the shifting mass of water. Oddly, they saw people down there, although scare and widely spaced. Tom was worried that they were stranded, washed away by the tide from the coast or some godforsaken ship, but soon realised that this was not the case. They were floating atop Pokémon, all of different shapes and sizes, surfing on the ocean to wherever they were headed. It still marvelled him to no end how Pokémon were utilized in this world. But looking back at Layla, he was reminded that it seemed a benevolent agreement. Pokémon helped humans, while humans cared and befriended, perhaps even loved, their Pokémon partners.

They again flew for hours to reach the mainland, but thankfully they arrived when the sun was at high noon. The mainland came into sight at first as only a thin black line, growing rough and defined as they approached, mountains visible in the distance while the sea flowed from fjords and river mouths. Over olivine they flew, not bothering to stop in the city that had given them trouble, as if it would just become another obstacle as they did. The sky stretched out above the region of Johto, which looked so very different to them now. They could the entire landmass, every city that stabbed the sky with spires of concrete and steel. They hadn't realised how th region curved, allowing two cities access to the ocean, the second of which was larger and unvisited by them. They flew on, past the rest stop where the kind old woman Bertha had sheltered them, and then past Ecruteak who's repair was easily noticeable. Then, as the sun faded on another day of flying, they again set down. This time was on the path which they had observed leading straight outwards from Ecruteak and on to the vast mountain range ahead. The sun was lowering but not near setting by this time, and everyone thought it was a good time to rest for the days travel, knowing that it would be sun down by the time they were rested and accepting that they would not bother going on in the dark. The three fliers set down in an open area conveniently located off the path and near a small river, allowing everyone to dismount.

The area was a simple clearing in front of the riverside; however it was obvious that it had seen use by travellers before. Rings of stones contained mounds of black ash from previous campfires, and some areas by the riverside lacked grass, flattened and torn by constant pitching of tents and sleeping areas in one spot. That small Buneary which Valerie cared for was out of its poke ball and eagerly inspecting the camp, running around without a care in the world, innocent to the sense of danger the other carried on their shoulders. Tom noticed Layla looking carefully at the river which ran alongside the clearing, water flowing like glass and looking just as cool, watching for something.

"What're you looking at?" he asked cautiously, to which Layla shushed him and continued watching intently as the water babbled through the brook. Tom abandoned pitching the tent for a moment, knowing Layla had sensed or seen something important and followed her gaze. Within a few seconds, the surface of the water broke, rather pitifully, as a small fish flapped over a rock and back into the stream. Layla gave a smile as her eyes lit up slightly, Tom dropping the tense stance he had been standing in, sighing and rolling his eyes in disbelief.

"You were watching for fish?" He said sardonically.

"You should know I can't stand berries when there is more proper food around." Layla said happily. Tom was inclined to agree despite the small scare he had received in thinking they were threatened by something unseen, quickly finishing pitching the small tent of theirs and heading for the river with Layla in tow.

"I guess food is a high priority for you, no toughing it and enduring like a soldier?" He jabbed amusingly.

"You're welcome to give me your share if you would rather endure it..." She replied playfully. Tom rolled his eyes and looked into the river, the water only reaching knee height on him.

"So, how do you think we would catch them? Tom asked. As if to answer Layla waded into the shallow river, her thick fur protecting from the cold like a blanket, fish swimming away from her feet as she moved. Tom looked on oddly as she stood stock still and watched the cool water running between her legs, eyes twitching from one spot to the other as fish resumed swimming around her feet.

"You're going to..." Tom wasn't able to finish as she thrust a paw down into the water with all of her speed, jabbing a single fish as it passed by. The fish became dazed, giving her enough time to grab hold and throw it to the bank, unable to hold the slippery creature for long in her paws. She gave a proud look and waved him into the water.

"That one is mine; catch your own if you want more." She said haughtily with a smug smile. Tom looked into the water, seeing the stream of fish that swam by as Layla kept her legs shock still. He removed his shoes, rolled up his pant legs as best he could and followed her in, the water stinging at first touch but numbing to a cool liquid flow as he tried to imitate Layla.

While the others pitched their own tents and unrolled sleeping bags, Tom and Layla fished for dinner, making sort of a contest out of it. Tom found it much harder, his reactions seeming too slow for the slippery little buggers. Layla did confess to using her aura abilities to sense when a fish was coming and predict its path, which annoyed Tom after they had had a contest out of it, but made him no less determined. The others wandered over and watched, staring oddly and wondering what the two were doing, soon understanding as a fish was jabbed, caught and thrown to the bank where a small group was amassing.

"Wow...how is she so quick?" Valerie asked as she watched Layla stab, grab and repeat on the fish flowing by.

"Lucario's can sense a special energy known as aura...I'm not certain what it is exactly, but it best approximates to what we would call spiritual, or crudely, 'life' energy..." Will explained proudly, having been doing some reading on Pokémon while he was bedridden, and finding it all so fascinating. "Sometimes they can use it to attack or defend themselves." Valerie thought over this for a second

"But...why do they attack with...'life energy'?" Valerie asked. Will smiled as he began to explain it all to her, what he had read and learned while she listened intently. The others ignored Will after he went off into his 'professor' persona, and instead kept watch on Tom and Layla. Melody gave a short laugh when she saw Layla fail to catch a fish and furrow her brows in frustration.

"What do you find funny?" Michael asked, having followed beside her and forced himself to stay close and not become repelled from her again.

"It's easier than they are making it..." She said slyly, approaching the river and leaning over the crystal water slightly, watching the fish flow by. Michael got the idea of what was happening as soon as he saw that familiar blue hum of light around her body, seeing her pluck five fish from the water without the slightest touch and levitating them embarrassedly, seeing how Layla scowled at her showing them both up.

"That is cheating..." she said simply. Tom laughing slightly from behind her.

"And your aura vision isn't?" he chided.

"It's...different..." she protested, forgetting and continuing on with her actions. "But we're still going to catch them the proper way." Tom didn't mind this, the challenge proving a distraction from the journey. Melody silently moved back to Michael after dropping the fish back in the river.

"Decided to let them have their fun?" Michael chuckled as he followed her back to the tents where Will and Valerie now sat, discussing certain Pokémon species and biology's. Melody nodded and looked back on the two in the river, slight envy in her gaze which she hid from Michael by instinct.

The sun had set as the fire was soon started, the mighty Salamence doing the favour of not only lighting the blaze, but cutting a tree down with a sweep of his claws. Despite the time it took to gather the fish over the afternoon, it all seemed to be worth it in the evening as they sat around the hearth enjoying their cooked meal, the work of the day making the meal taste all the better. As the sun set on the horizon and the meal was finished, everyone began talking amongst themselves. Valerie had stolen Melody away to talk to her for a small while, the friendship still being something she wanted to keep hold of, and of which Melody seemed to enjoy. Will tried to engaged in conversation with Michael as he stretched out on the grass, fire warming his feet now freed from tattered shoes.

"So do we have any idea at all of where we are headed?" he asked as if they were simply taking a walk through the park.

"Iron island, it's what Palkia said...we hope." Michael said, eyes fixated on the flames of the fire.

"I meant where are we going overall?" Will said. "We've been travelling for...well, I can't remember now, but what happens when this is all over?"

"...I don't understand." Michael said quietly. It was a simple question, but he simply didn't understand. It had seemed obvious that they would all go back to their own places; try to resume normal lives and such.

"If we do stop all this and fix it somehow, or even if we don't fix it and have to live in the end times, what do we do then?" Will said, keeping his casual tone, unworried it seemed, by the ramifications which he knew more than anyone else there, and perhaps more than anyone else anywhere. Michael thought about it, the flames seeming to dance over his eyes in the dark blue light of the landscape, sparking with every thought.

"Maybe...maybe we'll just all go back to our lives." He said slowly. "And if we can't stop it...then try to live happily for at least a small while."

"Go back to our lives?" Will mused, chuckling amusedly. "After this, I doubt any of us could go back to our lives."

"I'll try...I'll take Melody back home somehow and..." He sighed as he again felt the frayed bond between them acting up as he talked about the future of them both, as if it were protesting the thoughts. "We'll live as if this never happened, even if we do fix it, we'll try and be happy where we were."

"You can try all you want, but so far everyone is far to connected to go back to their lives." Will said. "I came along with you two because I thought we could do something, and I thought I may as well keep trying to give Melody a chance to return here. Tom joined in...I don't know why, but my best guess is that he knew it was safer to travel with more people, and then Layla decided to stay with us after she took a liking to him. Now we have that inquisitive little girl over there tagging along with us all. She probably feels at least a bit responsible for Melody now, after she cared for her while you were gone."

"What would you do?" Michael asked, turning the question on him, but not fazing Will's calm demeanour.

"I'd probably stay with you, if I've stuck through all of this nonsense then why not..." He said. "Besides, I have no idea where else I would go now." That statement hit Michael with a slight suddenness. He looked up from the fire to see everyone around him in their own worlds, talking or resting, but all were still a part of this small survivalist group. Melody looked so happy when talking to Valerie, as if she were talking with someone she had not seen for a long time, while Valerie was silent but listening, patting the small buneary now asleep in her lap and mewing silently. Tom and Layla were partners by now, and Will simply had nowhere else to go, but such was true for all of them.

Right now Layla was talking to Tom, but as Michael looked over he could see that Tom was no paying attention. His eyes were drawn behind Michael and into the trees. He cut off Layla as he muttered a little louder than he had intended.

"What is that?..." he said. Layla stopped and turned her head, as well as Michael to see find what Tom was talking about. Far off a soft arcane light seemed to flow across the sky, the source obscured by the treetops. Will sat himself up and turned to follow their gazes, eyes narrowing as he saw the glow.

"That..." he said slowly, drawing out the sudden thought and memory from long ago. "That looks like-"Will was cut off by a mechanical roar, the ground shaking slightly beneath them as beams of light shone through the trees beside their camp. The roar was joined by others as the ground continued to tremble slightly as they passed. The three flyers who sat by the edge of the forest raised their heads and growled slightly at the disturbance, but made no move to move and investigate.

Michael stood up along with Tom and Layla, beginning to edge towards the edge of the clearing where the small line of trees separated forest from path. Michael turned to Melody, who now had stopped to listen along with everyone else.

"Wait here..." he said quickly as he followed Tom to the tree line, pressing his back against of the trunks.

Tom and Layla took their own places hiding in the small area of forest and crept closer with Michael to the edge of the pathway. They had seen what was happening before they even poked their heads out from cover. A convoy of trucks, each camouflaged and painted with the same emblem of a shield crossed by two swords bearing Pokeballs on their hilts, lumbered down the path, causing the air to vibrate around them as they roared past.

"That's the military..." Tom whispered as he spied supply trucks, armoured cars and all terrain transports. "Where the fuck were they in Hoenn!". He ducked his head back as one particularly large vehicle lumbered by, carrying an artillery cannon on its flatbed.

"Maybe Hoenn doesn't have one..." Michael said, watching as the trucks continued down the dirt road.

"Every country has some kind of military, even the neutral ones." Tom muttered. "But where are they headed?"

"They're heading towards Kanto..." A voice spoke from behind Michael, turning to find had been Valerie, now standing behind Michael with Melody by her side. Michael sighed and looked at Valerie.

"I told you two to stay back there..." He said frustratedly.

"Melody wanted to see what was happening, we need to know too." Valerie whispered.

"We could have told you what was happening, we didn't want to be seen." Michael whispered back sternly.

"It's too loud, they wouldn't hear us..." Melody said, not needing to quieten her voice, contrasting loudly to everything else that was said.

"That's...never mind..." He said quietly, the trucks which rumbled past suddenly fading out as the last vehicle of the convoy passed.

Tom stepped out abruptly, Layla darting out beside him. Michael moved out onto the road, unprepared for the change of pace, the other two following alongside. Tom stood facing the direction the trucks had travelled and wore a solemn scowl on his face, light from the odd glow framing his features. Michael slowed as he turned to find the source of the brightness, Melody's eyes widening and Valerie gasping aloud. Beyond the mountains ahead where Kanto lay a storm of light was raging in the dark sky. Though far off it became a beacon of power in the night, twisting and churning the clouds around it.

"A portal..." Melody echoed quietly.

"W...where does it go?" Valerie asked quickly, eyes holding fear and mouth agape, having never seen the maelstrom of a portal so large, dwarfing even the flash of the one who she had seen over the temple a few nights ago.

"We have no idea." Will spoke as he approached from behind the group, choosing to sacrifice his place by the fireside and join the others, knowing where the portal lay and remembering how he knew such things. "But there is one like it in our world...and it was not too far from where we began.

"But where is it? It looks like it's going to destroy Kanto!" Valerie panicked, knowing she had family in Kanto, specifically her mother if she had not moved on by now. "Is it?..."

"No, no, it's located over a city, Viridian if my memory serves right." Will said, seeming to be the only one unfazed the appearance but having all the features of a ghost as the pale light glinted over his spectacles and made his hair seem to glow white like wool, a change from the timid man he could be in such situations. "There was a report of it a while ago and...It's probably unlikely but it could be linked to the one in our world."

"...what's going to happen?" Valerie asked quietly, slight whimper in her voice. Will sighed and shook his head.

"If it's big enough, it was keep growing...it could collapse, but that..." His face paled for a moment as a dark look passed over it. "That would do more harm than good right now."

"What can we do about it?" Melody asked with an edge of fear in her voice. Whenever they had gone near one of those things it had never worked out for the best. She had countered Michael after falling through one, and then she had lost him all the same. Even now, despite the broken bond trying to drive her away and draw her into a pit of loneliness and despair, she didn't want to risk that again. But she also feared for Valerie, who had been a lifeline for her when all of it had happened.

"Nothing, if we're lucky." Tom cut in. Will gave him an odd look but was forced to agree.

"Unless that Palkia creature happens to show up again then there is little we can do." He said. He had his own thoughts on Palkia, wondering why if it had closed the portal over the temple, why had it not closed the portal which was obviously more threatening to his own realm. Though in the back of his mind he hoped it would happen, just to see the sheer power of such a creature.

"So we're going to let it keep destroying viridian?" Valerie asked quietly.

"Girl, there isn't anything we can do, there...never has been." Tom sighed. "The best we can do is to keep moving and try to find wherever this 'Palkia' is leading us."

"And why..." Melody added. She and Layla appreciated the legend of Palkia more than anyone else in the group, Pokémon cultures always having revered the power of legendary creatures like Palkia, never able to comprehend why humans would rather study and try to disprove them.

The night wind picked up, brining a chill over them. They silently moved back to the campfire, which now flared and flickered in the wind, soon deciding after the day's events that rest was most satisfying thing for their minds.

They awoke the next morning and quickly made to start ahead, the glimpse of the portal which raged on the horizon becoming a sudden reminder of what they were against. The equipment was packed away and the Pokémon took off, meeting the glow on the horizon dead on as it threw light over the still darkened forest, being easily mistakable for a second sun. By the time the sun had arisen and the land was shrouded in misty morning light they had left the forest behind them, moving on to a rocky landmass, barren and dry. Paths were carved into the valleys below them, surrounded on all sides by high cliff wall, growing steeper the further they became to the incoming mountain range. The mounts ahead of them loomed ominously, serving to remind them of how small they were and how low they really flew as the peaks towered above them, capped in snow that shone as the sun bore down on it. Melody and Michael marvelled as they flew through the ranges, closed in on all sides by the stone giants, able to see the towering tips above as well as the lowly land beneath. A small gust of wind hit them from the side, Valerie having nudged the Skarmory to the right, inching closer to them to yell over the roaring of the wind to the two of them.

"That's mount silver!" She yelled excitedly, pointing to a mountain ahead which dwarfed the others around it, darker than the rest of the range with a large flat cloud hovering over it's peak. She quickly pointed ahead of it, slightly off to the side. "And that's the Indigo Plateau!".

"What's the Indigo Plateau?" Melody asked, straining her eyes to see the small speck of a building far ahead of them, just visible through the rocky land.

"It's the Kanto and Johto Pokémon Championship!" She called. "Only the best trainers ever make it to there, it's where the Region champion is!"

"Why is it hidden here?" Melody asked, unsure of why a champion who was so powerful would hide in a barren and impassable land instead of making their selves known.

"You can only get to it by going through Victory road." Valerie said. She saw the confusion still on Melody's face and continued to explain. "It's a tunnel to the plateau, there's lots of really powerful Pokémon and trainers in it, so it's a test."

"What about mount silver?" Melody asked, enjoying seeing for miles and spotting all the new landmarks.

"It's a place where only champions can go to train." She said, looking over the mountain, seeing the winding path which lead far up the rocky ground. "if you meet anyone there then they've been a champion once, so everyone tried to catch them when they go there."

By now they were exiting the mountain range, the towers of rock and snow parting to make way for a grand view, although marred by the great portal which raged even closer now. They could not see much further beyond it, light blocking their view of the landmass of Kanto. They flew ever closer to the portal, the Pokémon growing restless as they sensed the danger of the unknown disturbance. Tom called out to everyone, telling them that they would have to turn around and travel north, remembering the monk's directions that were promised to lead them to Sinnoh, where Iron Island was located and where this whole mess could soon end. A sharp bang caught him off guard as a sudden shockwave ran through the air beside only a short distance away from him, followed by a cloud of noxious black smoke.

"What was that?" Will yelled, crying out as more loud bangs and bursts of smoke erupted around him, the Skarmory he and Valerie were riding on roaring and veering backwards, trying to escape the smoke.

Layla gripped the Tom's back even tighter, crying out as the cacophony of sound rang around her, Tom now struggling to control the mighty blue dragon as he veered backwards and looked down upon the ground, scanning the land quickly and tryi9ng to find the source of the attack. His eyes widened as the saw an entire range of mobile cannons planted along the edge of the mountains, firing away.

"There! We have to land or we'll be killed!" He called out, pointing down to the cannons which thundered far beneath them. "Try to land behind them! They can't-". He was cut off as he heard a high pitched scream cry loud, followed by Michael's. He turned to see Melody hanging off the side of the tree like dragon, supported only by Michaels hand, who leaned dangerous close to falling himself. A large cloud of smoke lay only metres away from him and the Pokémon he flew on now thrashed and dove about.

"Dammit!" Michael screamed, the constant movement of the Pokémon beneath him threatening to tear away his grip.

"Don't let go!" Melody screamed, closing her eyes tightly, terrified to even look at how high they were. Valerie grabbed hold of the Skarmoy's neck and pulled towards the two, forcing the Pokémon to veer sideways and forget the barrage around it. She looked at Michael with a determined look that told him she would never let him live if he let go of Melody, reaching her hand out to Melody and calling out over the howling din.

"Grab my hand!" She called desperately, leaning over even further to trying to grip Melody, who reached out, cracking an eye open slightly only to find where her hand was. Melody grabbed her hand quickly but the sudden weight, despite how light melody was, pulled Valerie down. She would have fallen if Will had not reacted and grabbed her sides, holding on tightly as Melody hung between the two, a thousand feet over the ground. Tom soared past the two, calling out as he descended.

"Get down! Get her back onto that thing and land!" He yelled, pressing his body close into the Salmence's as it began to dive, wings folding back and letting gravity pull it down at tremendous speeds.

Michael pulled hard along with Valerie, soon lifting Melody to a point where Michael could reach out and grasp her with both hands, lifting her in front of him and sliding backwards to allow room. He leaned forward, gripping her waist and pushing her close to the neck of the Tropius.

"Hold on..." he said, close enough to melody's ears that he didn't need to yell, as the Tropius seemed to suddenly stop in midflight, wings pausing and rearing backwards. For a moment, there was no force to pull them down, feeling as if they could float away on the breeze if they let go. But that changed when the Tropius roared and threw its neck down, angling its body and beginning as steep dive. The wind roared past their ears, ripping at Michael's clothes and hair as the pressure of such a fast fall grow on them. Behind them Will and Valerie had done the same and were know plummeting to earth with them. The guns that had been firing on them made no attempt to follow them as they dived down, despite the fact that they were diving right into the path of the weapons, aiming for the pathway slightly behind the cannons.

The Pokémon dived so fast for so long that it seemed as if they might crash, but they were smarter and stronger than that. With only a few hundred metres left, they pulled out their wings and reared backwards, the force of gravity leaving the riders and threatening to pull them back into the sky. The landing was softer than expected, with the fliers gently settling on the ground, still spooked after being fired upon. The ground was dry along with the air, dust flying up around them as they landed. Tom slung his leg over and slid off the Salamence, looking above them to a small cliff only a few metres high where the cannons were clearly visible.

"AA guns...why would they need those?" He said, the others dismounted around him. Layla sighed heavily in relief as she stepped onto solid ground Valerie immediately ran to Melody before Michael could even dismount, grabbing her tightly and hugging her.

"I thought you were going to fall!" She said quietly. "I was scared..."

"I'm okay..." Melody said soothingly, although still shaken from the brush with death. "You and Michael both helped me." She turned as Michael dismounted, walking up to her and putting his hands on her shoulders, sighing in relief.

"Sorry..." he mumbled, not knowing exactly why he was apologising but somehow feeling responsible. For Melody it was more of a reassurance. She felt her spirits lift a little in knowing that he still wanted to be with her even, keeping his promise despite the instincts not to.

"Don't be." She said, giving him a quick kiss on the forehead, blushing more than she felt she should have. He smiled a bit, shaking his head slightly in embarrassment. The sound of crunching rocks came to their ears, quickly grower louder and closer, drawing their heads up to see a small transport vehicle round the corner of the rocky slope and wave them down.

"That's the military..." Tom said as he spotted the insignia on the side of the truck, the same insignia that they had seen on the ones on route to Kanto the previous night. The transport slowed as it approached, a three soldiers dressed in heavyset vests and combat clothes exiting from the back, holding high powered rifles in slings around their shoulders. Behind them trailed two Pokémon, the first being a fox like creature with cream coloured fur that shimmered in the sunlight, nine curled tails sprouting from its back, and the second a strange green creature that resembled a praying mantis with claws like scythes and a tough bug like skin. Both were wearing armour as well, seemingly custom tailored to their body types, allowing easy movement as the two followed behind the soldiers. Tom kept himself ready, although he did not know what use it would be, despite the soldiers having shown no aggression so far.

"Are you trainers?" one of them called out, soon coming to a stop in front of the group, a middle aged man with wide eyes and a sharp nose, jaw set heavily. He kept his hands away from his rifle to show he was not threatening.

"Travellers, just trying to make our way to the Sinnoh region." Tom said, watching the three carefully.

"Well you can't go any further than this I'm afraid, Viridian and a 2 kilometre radius around it is restricted." He said. "Why are you heading to Sinnoh?"

"We're all heading for our families." Michael spoke up. "Valerie and her grandfather are going back home and...I'm entering my Gardevoir in some beauty contests." Will scoffed when he heard the lie about him being Valerie's grandfather, Valerie looking at Will with an odd stare, trying to imagine the same. Michael hoped it would hold up, he didn't know of any contests in Sinnoh.

"Ah, another one..." The solider said, rolling his eyes. "Since Hoenn was overrun everyone's been flocking to Sinnoh for the contests...they've been told to cancel them with everything that's happened, but they won't."

"Why weren't you in Hoenn?" Tom asked slowly. "We were...In Hoenn before the ferry was shut off. They've taken over half the sodding region, why aren't you stopping them? And why did you try to shoot unidentified civilian targets down?" he growled the last part, remembering how close they were to being killed by a shot. The soldier sighed and gave him a hard stare.

"We weren't fast enough to mobilize and they're too fortified by now, Hoenn doesn't have a military force because they're too small. The region was shut off to try and stop the aqua and Magma organizations to stop spreading easily. We don't know where they acquired their high powered weaponry and we are refusing to strike at the region via air to prevent civilian causalities. It's out of our hands and what is going to be done is still being decided on." He listed off. "Those are all the questions people always ask, and those shots are to deter people from straying into the area, all aimed to miss their targets. They're a recent addition to the line."

"Why would anyone want to go there? Why the extreme measures?" Michael asked, looking above them to the small cliff where the AA guns sat, silent and idle now

"A few people got through last night." The soldier said, remembering the sudden assault on their lines from above. "A group of people flew past the border of the area, we sent some men away on fliers to warn them but they responded violently. Two of the three men were killed along with their fliers, we know take extra measures to prevent intrusion."

"That guy was huge, built like a mountain, looked like a dark skinned monster to me. Had a big scar across his chest too, like he'd wrestled some wild animal..." The second soldier spoke up, shaking his head in disbelief as he recounted the leader of the group who had killed his two comrades. "God, he fired that rifle with one hand, one hand!"

"Hayden, quit your theatrics, we're on duty..." The first soldier snapped, silencing the other. He turned his head back to the others and motioned to the second soldier. "He was the surviving flier."

"...is there anyone left in Viridian?" Will asked as he looked down the hillside to where the city lay in the distance.

"We don't know, we stopped sending rescue teams in after some of them didn't come back." He said. "We're just guarding the border so no one else is killed in there."

"Well, are you monitoring that portal?" Will said exasperatedly. "What if it flares up or collapses? You're going to have far greater trouble than people going into that city if you aren't!" The solider raised an eyebrow as he looked at Will, speaking slowly.

"We have a small group of people trying to monitor it...but they don't have much of an idea why it's happening." He said, eyeing Will slightly.

"Well...have they even thought of what a portal that size can do?" Will said, throwing up his hands."You're all sitting on a powder keg waiting to go up, here."

"Sir, do you have any knowledge of these matters?" The soldier asked, wondering how Will seemed to know far more about the potential of these disturbances than any of them.

"I'm a quantum theorist." Will said matter-of-factly. "and if you really want to know what this thing is then tell me where these other researchers are!". Michael watched oddly, wondering why they did not simply leave and continue their way to Sinnoh as planned. He simply wanted to get to Sinnoh and find out what was going on, before their time, and his time with Melody, however long that was now, ran out.

The soldier looked at the others, who shrugged in return, before unclipped a small radio from his belt and speaking into it quickly. The other two soldier looked at each other quizzically, wondering what was going on, ending their thoughts with a shrug. The first solider nodded and spoke a confirmation into his radio before turning back to them.

"My commanding officer has agreed to let you see our research team, he also hopes that you have relevant information and are not wasting time."He said, motioning to the truck which idled behind them. "Get on board, we'll take you to the base." Tom shot Will a slightly withering look, wishing, like Michael had, to simply get on with the journey. Will briskly made his way to follow the soldier, Tom reluctantly following with Layla behind him, Michael, Melody and Valerie all bewildered as to where they would be going exactly. Michael turned to the three Pokémon which had flown there here dedicatedly, happy to have had them along for this leg of the journey.

"Thank you...for taking us here." He said awkwardly, not used to thanking equally intelligent creatures that could not talk back to him. Melody couldn't help but give a small laugh at his social ineptitude and spoke up, being more experienced in the matter, choosing to speak in her natural tongue to give a more personal feeling to the thanks. The three Pokémon bowed their heads and responded in kind. The large Tropius bent its neck down and looked at Michael through green dragon like eyes. Michael tentatively reached out a hand and put it over the leafy green scales on the creatures head.

"Thank you." He said quickly, the creature then moving its head back up and unfurling its wings. Valerie seemed more comfortable around the Skarmory, happily starching the soft flesh behind its head where the metallic scales did not reach, saying a small goodbye, doing the same for the Salamence.

With that, the three Pokémon turned and flexed their wings a few times, strong leg muscles tensing back before launching them forward into the sky with a gust with wind. They didn't look back as they climbed higher into the sky until they were nothing but a small black figure against the sun. Michael, Melody and Valerie then followed the other to the truck idling a short while away. The soldier looked over them all as they entered the back of the truck, stopping Tom and Michael before they entered, glancing over Melody and Layla.

"It'd be easier on space and logistics if they were to be in their pokeballs." He said. The two Pokémon who had travelled with the soldiers still remained outside a pokeball, but it seemed that with the armour, and perhaps their duty, they were allowed to remain that way.

"They don't have pokeballs." Tom said, drawing an odd look from the solider.

"They're wild?" He asked. Wild Pokémon were known to sometimes travel with trainers, but it was often temporary, until the Pokémon decided to leave or to join the trainer.

"They're ours but...we lost their pokeballs a while ago." Michael said quickly.

"How did that happen? It's hard to lose something that important." He said, eying Michael slightly.

"They dropped when you starting firing on us..." Michael said, trying to imitate venom in his voice. The soldier shook his head before motioning them in.

"Afraid we can't give you new one's but in that case they'll have to stay outside for a while." He said, the truck starting to life again and jerking into gear.

"I think both of them like it better that way..." Michael sighed, the truck kicking up dust as it started off, rattling along the hard ground and starting down the mountain to the forests edge. Will was fidgeting the entire ride, face hard and staring straight ahead into, unfortunately, a very uncomfortable solider, turning thoughts over in his mind. He knew Palkia had acted before, he also knew that this portal was far larger than the one it had closed and had even been open for far longer, which surely only gave it time to grow or to collapse in a great cataclysm. He didn't understand why that legendary creature which seemed as if it could be the salvation of the world had not even been near it, nor why such a powerful being had been, by the sound of it, frightened off soon after it took action. He was told that it had been struggling like it was in pain, but from what? Was it weakened? Did it detect another, larger portal? Couldn't it fix this in a flash if it were a master of space, the power to perhaps exist in multiple places at once? Will turned the questions over and over in his mind, finding few answers, insignificant in their own right and raising even more questions he could not fathom.

The truck slowed slightly after entering the forest that seemed to cover these regions, homes for Pokémon, a balance between man and beast. The stopped for only a few seconds before continuing on, past a small checkpoint, chain link gates guarded by two soldiers and topped with barbed wire, stretching out into the forest for god knows how long. It was only a few minutes before they entered a small encampment, blocked by another checkpoint, where the truck shuddered to a halt. Everyone was quickly shuffled out of the truck and lead through the small encampment to a small white tent, entrance marked with a large S. Although they only got the chance to quickly look through the grounds it was obvious these men were organized well, with various soldiers checking weapons, maintaining vehicles or performing small menial jobs. Only a few were at rest. Pokémon were in no short supply either, most seemingly partnered with soldiers and acting as pairs or even trios as they carried out various tasks. Will had to resist the urge to laugh when he observed a squat, monkey like creature handing tools along with one soldier who was servicing the underside of a car. Portable shacks and housing was set up around the area, all arranged in a large circle, serving as barracks, armouries, medical stations and storage rooms. The soldier stopped them before they entered the tent, motioning to the others behind Will as he spoke.

"Right now we can't allow you inside." He said. "Only this man is permitted to see our information right now, you'll have to remain outside until then."

"How long are we going to be here?" Tom asked, not very eager to spend the night in a camp of soldiers who might be more trouble than they were worth.

"If this man can help us significantly then he may have to stay here for a while, however you are all welcome to leave if it comes to that." He said, motioning towards one of the small portable cabins. "That's the rec area; you can take a rest in there until we're done. If this turns out to take longer then I'll arrange for a few cots to be put in there for you all."

"Don't worry if this takes too long." Will said, turning to the others with a sly grin. "Surely that beauty contest in Sinnoh can wait if this is so important." Tom rolled his eyes and glanced at Michael. The man had lied a little too well, and now Will seemed to be taking advantage of this chance to satisfy his scientific urges. Will chuckled and entered the small tent, the others being left to their own devices. Each made their way to the recreation room which they had been directed to, unsure of how long this would take, and this slightly detour would do any harm in the long run. Layla grabbed Tom's hand for a moment, stopping him and motioning towards to the centre of the camp, a large open area holding nothing but a slightly deflated soccer ball.

"It's been a while since we've sparred, hasn't it?" She said, indirectly asking her question. Tom laughed slightly and motioned for the others to go on, knowing they would know what would be happening soon enough. They both made their way to the bare dirt patch in the middle of the encampment, Layla deciding not to bother letting go of Tom's hand as they walked there.

"Any excuse to try and give me a beating when we're finally not fighting anything." Tom chuckled as they walked.

"Maybe you'll get lucky and hit me this time." Layla chided, Tom taking it as a challenge as they let go of each other's hands and put a few paces between them.

"Or you'll get lucky and come out with only bruises..." Tom said, taunting her as they took stances, Layla giving a playful growl that was supposed to seem threatening.. By now some of the soldiers had turned their heads, seeing the newcomers in obvious close combat positions, wondering, and in a way hoping, about what would come in next. They were not disappointed.

Michael, melody and Valerie all took a place in the small portable room, equipped for easy travel but containing enough comforting amenities to make sure duty was never too stressful for the men and women in the camp. A large flat screen television was bolted to one wall, connected to the satellite on top of the cabin and also to a video game system which Michael could swear he had seen before, unsure if the Nintendo Company somehow had originated here as well. Small kitchen in one corner with microwave and fridge, card table with various poker hands already splayed out in the other, and three large couches, worn and bolted to the floor, sat in the centre of the room facing the television. Valerie sat down on one of the couches with a sigh and allowed the small buneary out of its pokeball, which showed the same mirth in inspecting it's surrounded as whenever else she had summoned it, chattering and running back to Valerie as she opened a small bag of Pokémon feed.

"Have you named him yet?" Michael asked, watching the rabbit Pokémon eat it's food without complaint from Valerie's hand. She paused for a moment, thinking it over. She hadn't named him, and it seemed that half of other trainers never named their Pokémon, so it had not often occur to her as to what to call him.

"No...I've never thought of it much." She said, patting the Pokémon's fluffed ears gently. "He's not even mine...I wonder if his trainer misses him."

"With the way Hoenn is, I'm sure he would be happy that his friend is safe." Melody said, catching fleeting glances at her childhood as she watched the young creature.

"Or he might not be around for him anymore..." Michael said without thinking. Melody glared at him when he said it, something which unnerved him as he had never seen aggression from her before, the sharpness in her eyes almost cutting. "I...that slipped out..."

"I'm sure he isn't-" Melody started, Valerie cutting her off gently.

"No...Michael might be right." She sighed, taking out another small handful of food for the buneary. "If his trainer is...gone, then it's up to me to care for him." Melody gave a slow nod, but still didn't like the pessimistic idea. Michael looked around, eager to change the subject since his accidental outburst. He smelt it before he saw it, his dishevelled clothes and hair, body smelling heavily of sweat. He only now noticed how uncomfortable it felt to sit in those unwashed clothes.

"I'm going to find a shower..." He said, doubting that it would be a hot one if he did. Valerie stood along with Melody, both of them also liking the idea of finally washing the dirt and grime away from their bodies.

"Great, I need one as well." Valerie laughed, her hair shining with grime, knotted in many places down the back. Washing didn't exactly have a high priority on the list when you were travelling so desperately.

"Yes, it's...uncomfortable to be this dirty." Melody agreed, her hair also now showing signs of mistreatment, the ends of her dress greyed with dirt from the ground and her pale white skin showing small spots of dirt. Michael sighed and let them follow him, out the door and through the yard to an area marked as the showers and restrooms. They didn't have to worry about the soldiers who occupied the camp, nearly all of them now watching and cheering on the fight between Tom and Layla, both of who had started using slightly more complex and crowd pleasing maneuvers in their spar as they were cheered on.

The three of them made their way into their own separate areas, male and female. For a moment Michael caught himself wondering what it would be like to shower with Melody, shaking his head, knowing that was getting too far ahead of himself. Perhaps if they still were bonded it would not seem so difficult, each knowing each other's intentions and feelings, it would not be awkward to them to do so. The water was at the very best lukewarm, but occasionally would run cold, eliciting a sudden gasp or eep from Valerie or Melody, something he couldn't help up laugh at. At least until it happened to him, upon which the other two had their laughs. It was not a long shower, the water alternating between cold and lukewarm not being too pleasant an experience, forcing the three out after only five minutes. It helped to be clean again though, their clothes having been given a quick rinse as well, wringed out and put on again slightly damp, but much better than before. Michael waited for the other two at the entrance of the showers, not having to wait long before Melody and Valerie exited, both seeming happy to be clean again.

His eye caught them white linen, now greyed with wear and slightly frayed, wrapped around Melody's shoulder. He hadn't even noticed to again until now, and neither had Melody, in fact he hardly remembered giving her the painkillers which she had been taking every morning, it had become routine. He tapped her shoulder slightly, lightly enough to not cause pain in case it was still tender, making her turn her head to see what he was getting at.

"That might be ready to come off..." he said, Melody looking down to the bandage. She still felt the pressure it put on the wound, but now it hardly pained her at all. Sometimes it would ache dully or rub the wrong way against the gauze but it felt almost healed. The bandages were lucky to not have fallen off with the state they were now in. "Does it still hurt?"

"Not much...it used to burn when I moved, like my skin was on fire..." She said, lightly rubbing the bandage as they made their way back to the cabin. Tom and Layla had stopped fighting but now it seemed as if the soldiers wanted in on the matches too, one of them trying, and failing as Tom had the first time, to predict the deft Lucario's movements. Tom watched the young plucky lad be easily thrown to the ground, who had not had time to analyse and know Layla's distinctive fighting pattern. It reminded him of his former days, and a scowl passed over his face, which he would rather not remember. The three made their way past, not exactly interested in the gladiatorial entertainment, climbing the stairs and re-entering the cabin.

Melody sat on one of the couches, again rubbing the fabric of her bandage. Michael could see even without the bond that she was hesitating to remove it for some reason. She fiddled with the small pin which held it in place, never undoing it and seemingly trying to forget it. Michael sat down next to her and reached out for the bandage, putting his hands on the pin but asking permission before he removed it.

"Do you want it to come off?" he asked. She struggled to answer, but he was unsure of why. Valerie watched from the other side of the couch, still concerned about that wound which had hopefully now healed.

"Yes...it's alright." She finally said, letting Michael pop the pin out of the fabric, placing it on the table in front of the couch. He unfurled the linen, careful not to tug too tightly as it unravelled, soon falling away on its own. Some of the lower layers were stained red with blood, sometimes to the point of remaining partially damp with the sickly fluid, injuries from when the wound was new. Finally he removed the last of the cloth which covered her shoulder. Two pads were pressed against the wound, packed with gauze. They fell away when Michael tugged at them, Melody slightly whining at what she saw. The dress which covered part of her shoulder had not repaired itself, the hole in the natural garment remaining, frayed like fabric but unquestionably part of her body. Below that the white skin of her shoulder bore an unsightly scar, a raised and discoloured bump of flesh, small lines of scar tissue stretching out from it like a spider's web, crawling over her shoulder. She pulled away the shoulder of the dress, too shocked to noticed the rising heat on Michael's face as she did so, seeing the scar left from the bullet she had taken.

"That looks...horrible..." She whimpered, running a finger over the raised skin, still slightly tender.

"Your dress covers it." Valerie said, eyeing the torn hole in the garment. "Maybe you can patch the hole up, no one will notice it then."

"It's only a small scar." Michael said. "It'll fade, it shouldn't be a worry."

"Stop talking like it's your own body..." Melody hissed quietly, hurt evident in her voice. "I don't like it..."

"Melody, it won't make you less...attractive" he said gently, choosing the word with care. "It's only one small thing, but you're still..."

"It's not okay!" She yelled, telepathic voice almost screeching, drilling into Michael's head. "I don't like it! They...they're horrible!" She said, raising herself from the couch, small tears clinging to the sides of her eyes.

"What's wrong with it?" Michael asked, trying to be gentle in the matter. It wasn't like Melody to become angered about such a thing; it wasn't like her to become angry at all, he knew that much already, even when he had become angry she had remained calm.

"I-It reminds me...I don't like it!" She screamed, Valerie moving behind her and gently gripping her shoulders in an attempt to calm her down. She seemed to lose the anger she held when Valerie did this, instead turning and crumpling into Valerie's grip like she was crying into her mother's arms again. Michael was left looking lost. He wanted to help her, he wanted to hold her and say it was all going to be okay like Valerie had done, but now that frayed bond had chosen to grip his chest, repelling him as he listened to the anger and the pain in her cries.

"Melody...shhh, Melody..." Valerie whispered, as if Melody was like a young child who had come crying to her big sister for comfort.

Michael turned and left wordlessly, feeling it would be better, probably for the both of them, to be away from each other right now. It seemed that any comfort he would try to give right now would be thrown back at him, but he knew he could not blame her for it, even though he didn't understand why she felt as she did about the scar on her shoulder. He made his way out into the yard, Tom and Layla now nowhere in sight, the crowd having dispersed back to their stations and having resumed their small duties around the area. The disconnected feeling of the camp now made him feel even worse about it all. He made a few laps around the area, just trying to walk off the feelings for a small while, before turning and making his way out into the small forested area which surrounded the camp right before the chain link fences that separated it from the rest of the forest.

He sat down against the trunk of a tree, thick and gnarled, which stood only a short distance away from the edges of the cabins around the camp. He ran his hand through his still damp hair, breathing deeply as he hung his head, trying to find calm before he had to face the journey again. He still had idea true idea of how long Will would hold them up here, he didn't even know why he had done so. He had seen the hard look on Will's face while riding to the camp, calculating and perhaps confused about something. He suspected there might be something else to this visit, but had no idea what to truly suspect about the eccentric man.

A sound caught his ear, a small gasp which he heard easily through the silence of the forest, coming from a short distance away. He turned, trying to find the disturbance, but saw nothing, until he heard it again, this time a soft sigh. He saw a small blur from behind a tree only a few metres away, whipping outwards again and hitting the ground, furred and blue. He pulled himself up, making his way over, the sound of his footsteps going unnoticed as he heard a small moan, almost sounding like a soft growl. He perked a brow and made his way around the tree, staying a few feet away.

Layla was sitting on Tom's lap, back to his chest with his hands on her shoulders and midsection, making gentle motions and rolling over the soft fur. She slowly squirmed in Tom's grip, letting out small gasps and moans, feeling the muscles under his grip relax as if melting away. She had kissed him before, leaning her head back as she lay in his massaging grip and giving a tired but loving kiss, her body still feeling hot from the workout earlier. She would have done it again if through the haze of feelings going through her body she had not heard the shuffling of feet, followed by the call of Michael's voice.

"Hey, finished your duelling today?" he asked casually, Layla's eyes snapping back open from their half lidded state and feeling herself tense almost painfully as she sat up straight. Tom moved his hands back to her shoulders, trying to sound casual as he responded, clearing his throat slightly.

"Yes, we're done for today..." he said, continuing to rub one of Layla's shoulders. "Her shoulder cramped so I'm trying to relax it..."

"Is she okay now?" Michael asked, swearing he saw a blush under Layla's fur, noticing how she panted and breathed heavily, perhaps from the earlier spar.

"Well...her anatomy is different...but she's okay now." Tom said, trying to satisfy Michael's curiosity so he could leave them to their own devices again, having rather enjoyed seeing Layla, a proud and strong fighter, melting into his arms with only a few precise touches over her body.

Unfortunately this was the moment Will spotted them, having emerged from the tent to find them and made his way around the area, know walking to them from in-between the cabins. He eyed Tom and Layla with a small curious eye, chuckling inwardly and adding to his suspicion of the two. He hid this and spoke.

"I've got something to show you all." He said slyly. "We've discovered something unusual about that portal, you really need to come and see it." He didn't give them a chance to ask questions and instead quickly skipped away, not elaborating further. Michael watched him walk away as Tom sighed, Layla whining annoyedly as she shifted off of his lap and stood on two slightly shaky feet. The three of them followed, having not much choice in the matter if they wished to leave as soon as possible. But the look on Will's face did nothing to assure them of that.


	24. Chapter 24

While everything had been happening outside, Will had been sequestered in the large white tent, scattered equipment all around him, fellow researchers bustling around, himself looking very out of place in his bright plaid shirt and black trousers. There were multiple screens erect around the area, all showing different readouts and measurements, a large single screen at the very front of the tent displaying a complete map of the area, certain things marked such as radiation emissions, fluxuation points and overall energy outputs of the area. He had introduced himself to the team who were working on the machine, but many of them disregarded him as unimportant until he soon began looking over their shoulders and spouting off information and explanations they had never heard of before, yet somehow made sense. Soon he was lecturing them all in front of the main screen, telling them of his own theorem and how it related to the events they had been observing. In only ten minutes he had them at his command, telling them what to monitor, what to report and how to think. Will had smiled, glad to be in his element once more, making his way from station to station like he was a professor again, eying his students work.

However, something did not add up in the results he kept receiving. He had turned it over, looked over the data himself, but could not make sense of why it was happening. He had begun looking over the stations and outputs, suddenly discovering the reason for his confusion as he began switching displays on the main screen.

"What is that?" he asked in a very loud and clear voice, turning the heads of various researchers. No one answered so he explained quickly. "Why are there absolutely no emissions from near the centre of the portal?"

"The detectors were knocked out, perhaps." One of the men spoke up, a man in his thirties with bleach blonde hair. "Or it's been overloaded with what it is picking up."

"No, no, no..." Will said quickly, switching the overlays of the map on screen and pointing to the same area, now covered in pure white blotch. "You're still getting readings from the sensors near the edge, the ones picking up the background radiation, and they're reading far too low for that...". One of the men fiddled with a few wires connecting to a large computer box, resetting the connection.

"Maybe it was an error in the system, check it now." He called. But what Will saw was the exact same. There should have been tachyons and other high energy particles flowing from a portal that size like a flood, but instead there was nothing at all. It was as if the portal was not even there. He swore to himself, there should at least be something showing up. Such a sudden and definite horizon from which beyond there was nothing, it shouldn't be possible in this situation.

"How long has this been here?" He asked quietly. "Was this area like a vacuum when I arrived?" One of the researchers shook his head, waiting the screen with a mild curiosity.

"No, it occurred after we finally managed to install sensors around the area." He answered. "It took to convince the general to let us install them so close to the centre of the portal."

"And you never questioned why they were not working?" Will accused, rubbing his forehead in frustration.

"We did...for a while, but soon it seemed to become relevant...we assumed something had knocked them out or severed some connection." He answered "We have a lot to deal with here...especially after you gave us all this information..." Will sighed and looked back at the live feed from sensors around the area, the light of the screen in the now dim and stuffy tent reflecting off his glasses, which now had a scratch or two in them, being lucky to have not been broken yet. After a moment he had made up his mind and turned wordlessly away, swiftly marching out of the tent, much to the surprise of the researchers who would have thought he would have continued questioning the matter.

Will made his way first to the recreation room where he had expected to find everyone, however had only managed to call Valerie and Melody. Even in his distracted state he didn't miss the discernable air of tension and feelings of gloom from the room, but decided it was not the time to dwell on this and simply told the two to go to the research tent and wait for him. Tom and Layla were not brawling in the yard as he had heard before, as well as the unruly crowd which had gathered to watch, and in the end partake in, their fight. The camp was a closed area and he had only to make his way quickly around the perimeter to located them, finding both Michael, Tom and Layla within the small border of tree, relaxing by the looks of it. He didn't blame them for doing such a thing in this hour but his eyes glinted with suspicion when he saw Tom and Layla sitting together, only serving to add fuel to the curious fire he had about the two.

The four then made their way back to the research tent after his enigmatic summon, having learnt that in matter such as it these, it was best to simply not question Will and his orders. The researchers gave them all odd looks as they entered, Will asking one to call whoever was in command on the road block, earning him and even odder look. Michael stood a small distance away from Melody, who in turn was staying close to Valerie, unwilling to be so close to him right now. The tent was awkwardly silent for a few minutes, the researchers stationed there not bothering to ask what was happening, knowing an explanation would certainly demanded when the sergeant arrived. After only five minutes and true to everyone's expectations, the sergeant strode into the tent, her stride showcasing his no nonsense attitude when it came to a matter in which she had not the slightest idea what she was dealing with. Her chestnut hair was cut short, barely reaching past her ears, her eyes hard and calculating. She wore standard fatigues, her shirt currently tied around her waist and her white vest smeared in black oil and grime as well as parts of her face. Although she looked unprofessional to everyone, she emitted an aura of confidence that defied this as she immediately locked her eyes with Wills.

"You've called me here for what?" She asked curtly, no room for any banter in her tone.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice, we've made some progress but-" Will started, the sergeant cutting him off and look hardening.

"Never mind that, what do you have to say?" She asked quickly. A woman who valued information and information alone in this situation.

"Yes, well..." Will cleared his throat and began, his tone becoming rather neutral. "We've analysed the portal, determined it is so far stable and shows very little sign of collapse at the moment, which would cause widespread destruction, but we have encountered a problem, or an unknown factor to be specific." The sergeants look didn't change as she listened.

"Why is this important?" She asked after a second, although it was not sarcastic.

"This area here..." Will continued, pointing to the map where the enigmatic white spot lay. "Should be emitting some kind of high energy output, however it isn't. This means that the portal cannot and should not exist. We've checked the equipment and it is functioning perfectly, but this unknown factor...we can't be sure of anything with it. We can't detect the maximum energy output of the portal, and because of that we can't be sure something...bad, may happen." The sergeant continued to stare at him for a few seconds before glancing at the screen. She didn't understand all that was written, fed from machines whose workings she could not fathom, but she did know that not knowing your enemy could lead to ones downfall. She had learnt that from multiple assaults, both successful and failed, on multiple organizations who vie for power in the black market and try to drag the civilian world with them.

"And what are you suggesting?" She asked carefully, eying Will sharply again. "You called me her for a reason, not just to tell me about this. You have an idea, or a fix for it?". Will took a breath and steeled himself, preparing to speak confidently, knowing hesitation would only show the strong minded woman that he was not sure of this.

"If something is stopping us from getting readings from the sensors near the centre of the portal then it needs to be stopped. If the sensors are faulty then they need to be fixed, but if something else is interfering, we need to know what it is." He said, keeping his tone as fixed as possible.

"So what is the basis of this suggestion, what do you want us to do?" She said, awaiting the final response.

"We need to send people in to fix this." He said calmly. The sergeant's face darkened, visibly becoming redder as her anger rose. The man had no right to ask to her to send in her men, men who trusted her with their lives, into a situation which she knew was far too dangerous to be worth the risk.

"We are not sending a squad in." She said sternly. "It isn't worth it just to repair a few sensors we placed a week ago, which were also at the cost of one man's life." Will met her glare with his own sly gaze.

"I understand the dangers better than anyone, but I also understand the risks just as well." He said carefully. "The centre of the portal is the most vital area to monitor, it's where we get the fastest data about fluxuations and changes."

"More important than the life of these men?" She asked, her voice edged with insult.

"It could be the difference between detecting a sudden change and evacuating quickly or detecting the change minutes after it's happened and having to spend extra time confirming and calculating the time until a potential catastrophe." He responded quickly, the sergeants glare still illustrating that she would not take the risk. Will put his hands up in a calming gesture and continued. "But I know you don't want to risk your soldiers dying needlessly...so I suggest you send us." The sergeant straightened up and perked a brow. Tom gave Will a glare and Michael choked on a breath. Layla, although not liking the thought of going near something which had brought her to the other world, so strange so seemingly lifeless without aura, but also relishing the thought of having a slight adventure in her newly healed body. Valerie paled at the thought, also not thrilled about the idea, grabbing Melody's hand in an almost reflex action. During her travels she had become attached to Melody as a friend, and with her nature, it helped more than she knew.

"You're asking me to send civilians into a warzone?" She asked incredulously. Will shook his head.

"It's hardly a warzone, but my companions are very experience with these things, we've all probably had more firsthand experience with these portals than anyone else in this region." He said, smiling a little, wondering if the sergeant would ask the question forcing him to reveal things he would rather not.

"How can you claim that?" She asked, Will mentally wincing that the question had indeed came.

"...we've been through one." He said, fighting to hide a smile at the look on some of the researchers faces around him. The sergeants eyes widened, if only by a fraction, as she thought out his claim carefully.

"You say you've actually stepped into one of those...portals, and survived?" She asked, disbelief evident in her tone.

"Yes, you see we were actually near one when it opened and...well, it was much smaller than this one, small enough to remain stable without destroying its surroundings, but we were pulled into it while it was forming." He said, mixing truth and fiction as best he could, choosing to carry on before she asked further questions. "I'm sure you know that people from the world on the other side of those portals have come through?"

"Yes, we found a few in the wreckage of the city the first time we swept through it, they somehow had survived coming through, most of them claim they were thrown onto high rise buildings, and their injuries were not serious enough to cause death..." she answered.

"Then, surely you've interrogated them about where they came from?" He asked slyly, edging the woman towards his way of thinking. The sergeant narrowed her eyes.

"They say that their world is just like ours, expect there aren't-" she found will finishing her sentence along with her.

"aren't any Pokémon..." Will repeated. "It's true as well...you see, we were in that world for a while, however we were...lucky enough...to find another portal which was had only opened seconds before we crossed it, smaller portals do not last as long, you see, and ended up in Sinnoh." He gave Michael a look as he mentioned the part about finding the portal, remembering how desperate the man had been at that point and had forced them to follow on as he threw himself through. The sergeant stood for a full minute, eyes flickering between Will, the small group of people gathered in the tent, and the screen, before finally speaking again.

"If I still think it's too dangerous?..." She said slowly.

"Then you're only putting your men in more danger at the risk of this portal collapsing and obliterating this encampment." He said calmly, this time returning the hard look of the sergeant, old eyes matching her youth and passion with age and experience. She turned her head to look at the rag tag group of civilians who had walked into her operation, turned the situation on its head and were now trying to attempt, what she considered, a suicide mission. She shook her head and grunted in frustration, turning to the tent entrance, ready to leave.

"I'll let them go...but this is for the sake of the soldiers I have under my command. If they die, there's no funeral and no mention of them in the reports, they will have never existed here as far I'm concerned." She said, opening the tent flap and telling them one last thing before she went. "If this is as important as you say it is, then they can leave ASAP, which will be as long as it takes for us to get a car and a driver. They'll be dropped off at roughly three kilometres outside the city, no closer."

"Why did you do that?" Tom asked frustratedly after the sergeant had exited. "We could've just been on our way."

"I know, but..." Will glanced at the screen again, serious visage reapplied."I have a feeling it isn't the sensors..."

"Do you think it's Palkia...?" Michael asked abruptly, lowering his voice slightly as not to be heard by the researchers who now had returned to their stations. "Can we find him here instead?..." Michael hoped for it but at the same time dreaded it, knowing that once they found Palkia it may all be over, leaving him with a broken promise and only half of himself.

"It's possible...but if it is then i need to know..." Will turned back to the group with a grim look. "Why isn't he stopping it?"

"...how dangerous is this?" Michael asked, glancing over to Melody, who listened quietly and held Valerie's hand, letting Valerie's mind calm her slightly. It wasn't a full connection but for melody it helped, being a lifeline she had used when he was absent, a drug for the pain.

"The portal is situated above the city and seems stable enough, so you won't have to worry about stray emissions of ionised particles and high energy-" He stopped himself and realised he wasn't talking to the researchers any more. "...lightning and radiation. But there could be smaller portals clustered around anyway and those could give them off...and if there are any survivors or wild Pokémon in the area, they may act aggressively..."

"So we should look out for wild Pokémon, bandits and lightning from the heavens...brilliant." Tom said sarcastically.

"If you just make your way to the centre and don't approach anything obviously dangerous...portals included, you should be fine." Will said in a reassuring tone which lacked any assurance whatsoever, ushering the group outside, the camp now busier with activity.

Three men were adjusting the tires and refuelling two cars which sat near the gate leading into the forest, making quick work and soon closing the hoods and starting them up, the frames shaking as the engine roared to life. One man was sitting in an open tent, adjusting radio equipment and setting up an antenna, soon handing the men working on the car two of the small black radio boxes to place in the car, followed by another who loaded a few packs. It was like watching the finely tuned mechanisms of a clock as the crew of men worked, trained to react quickly and get a job done. The sergeant watched them work, making her way over to the group when they were done. She eyed them all and spoke quickly.

"The cars are ready. There's some rations in the backs we've given you, two radios, and a pistol with a few magazines." She said curtly, motioning to the tow idling cars, drivers already in their seats. "Radio us when you need to be taken back." The look on her face told them that may not happen.

Valerie was looking nervously around. Her hand brushed over the pokeball at her waist, holding the small Buneary she now cared for, becoming like a child to her. She didn't want to bring him into the fray, put him in danger. But at the same time she didn't want to leave him at the camp, in case...she didn't come back. He had lost one friend; she didn't want to potentially deny another. She also hated to leave Melody when she seemed so fragile, having felt only the edges of the overbearing sadness Melody felt from when they held hands, providing small comfort.

"I...I don't want to go..." she said pitifully. She looked at the others with shame in her eyes, despite the lack of conviction in theirs. "It's dangerous...I don't want to...die."

"We all risk that these days." Tom said "I think everyone could be..."

"But this time..." Valerie couldn't come up with much beyond the fact that she didn't want to go. "...we don't have to this time..."

"According to your friend, you do." The sergeant said, glancing over at Will, who held her gaze for a moment before turning to Valerie.

"Valerie, if you think it'd be better for the rest, then you should stay." He said plainly, putting a hand on her shoulder. Truly, he held nothing against her for it, she was young and still had a life ahead of her. If it were him, he would prefer staying too, having gone along with the group other times because he had little choice in the matter, and also perhaps out of some fascination with everything about this world. "The other can handle themselves and it won't help to have someone who's scarred, which is completely justifiable here." Valerie breathed a sigh of relief and thanked him.

"If you're staying then you're not shirking getting something done here." The sergeant said, looking her up and down, assessing the young girl with a critical eye. She hoped the girl was capable and not simply a girl who kept a Pokémon as a pet to show off. "Are you good with a wrench? Computers? Anything useful?"

"I...I can take care of Pokémon...my grandmother ran a herb shop and-" She started, the sergeant cutting her off and pointing to a portable building on the far side of the camp, a pokeball sprayed on the door in militaristic fashion, double doors bolted open with two flaps on the base of each.

"Good, go to the kennels and talk to someone there about a few jobs, the Pokémon get restless if they aren't cared for in between operations." She said, turning back to the others and ignoring Valerie. "The rest of you, get moving, I'd rather have this over as quickly as it can be..."

Melody looked at Melody almost pleadingly, not wanting her to leave her alone, making her feel hopeless again. Valerie took her hand again and gave a reassuring squeeze, speaking as lovingly as she could.

"It's going to be fine..." She said gently, glancing over at Michael, forcing Melody to do the same. "I know you don't like it but...trust him, I know he wants to help you. He'll keep that promise...just like how he promised to find you." Melody looked down and nodded slowly, still not wanting her to leave but knowing she trusted her words, even if they were hard to accept.

She slowly moved away, joining the others in the car. She sat next to Michael in the front car, as Tom and Layla sat in the rear car, pushing away at the awkwardness of sitting next to him and forcing herself to do so. Although she didn't know it, it helped Michael to be near her again, feeling the remnants of the bond as a reminder, and as a glimmer of hope in knowing they could be woven once more. The gates flung open and the cars moved out, tumbling across the dry dirt path leading towards the great glowing lights in the sky, gates echoing with a forbidding clang as they slammed shut behind.

The city was further than they had thought, taking two hours of driving to reach the drop off point. The air grew stiller as they exited the cars, the soldiers not sparring a second glance as they pulled away and swung the cars around, kicking up a small cloud of dust as they trundled back towards the camp. The setting sun cast an orange glow along the path ahead, carved out of the great forest like a scar in the landscape. They all began walking with packs on their back, Tom leading and advising that it would be best to cover as much ground as possible before the sun completely set. They walked silently, the forest quiet with not even the wind to whistle through the leaves, isolating them completely. They walked for an hour before the sun dipped below the horizon, white glow of the raging storm beyond them, the edge of the great white vortex hovering above them now. They didn't manage to cover much ground, the sun soon setting completely, darkness covering the land. The path remained illuminated as they made their way into the forest, the light from the storm above them blocked by the canopy. It was easy to find an open area, the trees seeming to grow in groves allowing for small open spaces, something that was no doubt taken advantage of by numerous people. The camp was set up in silence, tents erected around a small fire lit from a kit inside one of the packs they had received. It seemed simplistic genius to Tom how the soldiers amenities were set out. A small canister of fuel and three thin strips of white plastic like material, which he almost mistook for plastic explosive, which were both lit to create a hot, blazing flame, burning slowly with an oily movement. No smoke was made as he cooked their dinner, supplied in small trays for Michael and him, along with two packets of dried Pokémon food meant to be cooked with water. Michael and Tom ate their food readily, a stew like mix along with vegetables and rice, while Melody and Layla had differing opinions on their meal. While Layla ate it without complaint, Melody was more hesitant to dine, the look of the food seeming unnatural to her.

"Sorry Melody...we don't have any Berries." Michael said, looking over at her. "Try some, it's only for a while."

"...It looks disgusting..." She said. Michael couldn't refute that the food looked less than appetizing, small biscuit like bits soaking in what seemed to be a gravy like solution.

"Well...you can't judge something on how it looks..." Michael said, looking her in the eye and forcing a gentle smile. She looked him over, finding the duality in his words. Michael held out his spoon, handing it to have to eat with her hands or to drink like a dog. Layla, however, found no problem with this, her form suited for it. Melody dipped the spoon into the mixture and took a small mouthful, tasting the food slowly. She looked up at Michael, small smile on her face.

"It's...good." She said, taking another bite of the stew like mixture. "But it's not as fresh...it tastes dead."

"When you're travelling like this it's often the best you can get." Tom said, remembering his own days when he sometimes was forced to forage for anything edible in foreign lands. "unless you want to eat tree bark, this kind of meal is appreciated in the wild...doubly so with our luck." He laughed slightly. From then on, dinner was a silent affair, everyone eating their meals quickly. The plates were biodegradable, even stating on the base that they should be simply buried and forgotten about, making short work of cleaning up the meal.

Tom and Layla set near the fire, side by side, the flames warming their bodies and bathing them in the light of the oily flames. Michael sat opposite, staring into the hypnotising flames. Melody had removed herself from the group, making her way into the forest, sitting alone on a boulder which lay by a tree, covered with green moss. Michael cast a glance back her at every now and then, his body tensing as if to stand but never doing so, simply sitting and watching her as if she could fade into the backdrop of darkness any second.

"It's not going to get better sitting here." Tom spoke up, Michael startled slightly as he was broken from the routine. He hadn't noticed how much he had been fidgeting, his nervousness and distraught obvious to Tom and Layla. "You should be talking to her."

"I...I want to, but..." Michael stuttered, casting another glance over his shoulder to Melody. "I'm not sure what to say..."

"Tell her what you have told her before." Layla said. Her own interest in their relationship being one of admiration, something that she could base Tom and her own new found unity off of, something that assured her it was possible. It was funny to her, how Michael and Melody's relationship had broken down that same night she and Tom had begun theirs, as if the torch as been passed to them to carry it on. She didn't want the two to be left in the darkness while her and Tom flourished in the light of their broken love.

"It's hard to do that...I can't get the words out of my mouth..." He said, Layla looked over at Melody, studying the lone Gardevoir.

"She'll know you care if you just stay by her...you don't have to say anything, let your presence say it all." She said, flicking a glance to Tom, remembering how they had also spoken more through actions and body, being clearer than clumsy words and wishes.

Michael kept up his nervous shuffling for a minute longer, then taking a deep breath and forcing himself upwards. He made his body move before his mind could catch up with what he was doing, forcing him into the fray without time to stall. The warmth of the fire faded as he crossed the ground to the forest edge, leaving him suddenly cold pressed against his clothes, the air around him cold and damp in the night air. Melody made no move as he approached, sitting still a statue on the mossy rock, staring out into the darkness beyond the trees, thin streams of arcane light filtering through the canopy. He slowed as he approached her, stopping only a few feet from her, afraid he might frighten her off if he was to forward.

"It's cold out here..." He began, feeling the chill in the air. "You could get sick, do you want to come back to the fire?" She gave no response, and continued staring out into the forest, hands hugging around her knees a she sat. Michael sighed and stepped forward, leaning against the soft moss on the rock.

"I'm sorry about what happened earlier today." He said. "I can't know what you think...if that scar is so bad...sorry I didn't understand."

"You're always apologizing..." Melody sighed, talking for the first time since he had arrived. "It's like you think everything is your fault...it makes me think I'm not worth trying to get back..."

"...sorr-..." Michael cut himself off and hung his head slightly. "...can you tell me why you don't like that scar?" He spoke gently, trying not to incite any strong emotions.

"It's not the scar..." She said slowly. "It's what it makes me...remember..."

"Is it the fight at the temple?" He asked. She shook her head, not expecting him to know now, but wanting him to anyway.

"It makes me remember...how we were." She said, memories of the two of them flashing through her mind, seeming far off and strange. It all seemed alien to her, as if they weren't her own. "We were happy...we tried to find each other...I remember when we finally did." Her voice became broken as she spoke. "I felt happier than I ever had...we loved each other that night, and then it was over..." Michael leaned in closer, trying to do as Layla had told him, keep her company and speak with his presence.

"...It makes me remember why I'm still here..." He said. He too remembered how they were before, how they were happy. The bond had forced it, but even then he missed the feeling. "I'm always sorry...I'm the one who caused it, for us to break that bond. But...it makes me feel like I'm doing something. I can take being sorry...I think i want to, so you don't have to say it."

"I don't want you to feel sorry about everything..." She said sadly, finally looking over to him.

"Then don't worry about this..." He said, gently brushing a hand over the hole in the shoulder of her dress, feeling the smooth scar tissue beneath. He moved his hand slower, stopping on her chest, above her heart. "This is all that matters. I'm sorry ...because you feel so badly about it. It was my fault for not protecting you, but I don't want you to think you're the cause of it..." If the situation wasn't as important to him as it was, he would have laughed at his hopeless romantic gesture. She followed his motion, raising her own hand to grab his, gently letting her finger grip his, savouring the contact for a moment.

"You've told me how you grew up last night...do you want to know mine?" he asked, remembering how much better she had felt in speaking, and how he had felt in listening to a tale in a land he had never experienced before now. She leaned her head against his shoulder, something that brought her discomfort at first, but slowly faded to gentle acceptance. She nodded her head and made a small approving hum.

"I wasn't born where you met me...actually I wasn't born in that country at all...it was in a country nearly halfway across the world called Germany." He began, the wind now picking up ever so slightly, the canopy shifting overhead, unearthly white light sifting through the air and casting a miraculous glowing over the grass, shining in dew. The perfect place for a fairytale. "My parents had lived there for only a few years before I was born, working in a large city called Berlin. My father was a history teacher, working at a university, and my mother was a poet...well, she liked to call herself one. Her poems were only ever published in small magazines but she wrote anyway. I was born in winter that year, and for the next few years I lived with them in a small apartment they shared. I loved it there...the buildings looked alive and...my mother wrote some poems about the city...it looked even better around my birthday when the snow fell..." He remembered the roads, blanketed in white below buildings of stone, ornaments on the rooftops and windows becoming transformed from stone to silent guardians who slept under the snow they held on their shoulders.

"I was five years old when we left...my father was offered a better paying job in America, the country you fell into, and so we left. I went back when a few years ago...but after so long of living in America, I didn't find the same life in the buildings all around me...America was built from concrete blocks while Berlin was crafted from stone into...something alive." He said, images of the past shifting through his mind, the snow on his face and the warmth of a heavy coat as he wandered through the streets of that beautiful fantasy land. "I think that's why I became a painter, wanting to feel that wonder again. As I grew up I kept drawing things I saw, trying to find the same beauty in them that I found in Berlin. My father acknowledged this but...he didn't show any interest in it, always buried in his books and writing in his study, It wasn't often I could talk to him without him shifting the topic to his fascination with the past. My mother thought of my painting as more of a hobby, not thinking I could make anything big. Eventually I stopped trying to talk to them...I shut myself away in my room and kept to myself...I think I grew to hate them after a while, I never felt sad when I left home and I never missed them. I went to university and studying art for a while...then I moved into that house, the one I met you at, and lived alone for the rest of the years." The house he thought of as home, now so far off in this mind, was a place he had lived alone for so long that it was as if it were a part of him. It might have been part of the reason he was a hermit, being so connected to the house he hated invasion of what was, by extension, himself.

"I didn't call my parents since I moved in...I changed my name too, as if I could start anew. Starting anew could help me feel that wonder again, something I tried to find in my paintings, like freezing the life I saw on a canvas. But...I never found it again, despite how much I travelled...I toured across Germany, France, Italy...I saw the pyramids in Egypt and the beaches of Australia, the rolling hills and native people of New Zealand...it didn't work." He sighed. It was the reason he had fallen into the depression that he had carried, not even remembering when it had begun, simply leaking into his life until he finally noticed it had not been there years before. He had lost his ability to see life and it's wonders. "Then I met you, only five years after I made a home there..."

"You went all over the world?..." she asked, trying to imagine herself travel such distances. "What was it like?..."

"It was tiring...and expensive...but I always held the hope that I'd see something that could help me." He said. Melody wondered to herself if that was what her friend...her sister, had seen in the young man she left with. A promise of something to inspire, a promise of new places and lives, and someone to share it with too. Michael had changed his name, maybe even himself, to try and find it again...

"What was your name?..." she asked, wondering how much he had changed, if he had been a different man even when the bond had allowed them to be almost one in mind. Michael sighed and gave a small smile, as if finding the answer silly.

"Miguel Griffiths..." he said, trying not to cringe at the name. "My mother loved Spanish...she thought it was the most beautiful language, so she named me Miguel...it's Spanish for Michael. My grandfather was English, and my father had lived in America for nearly his whole life, so I had his last name...it's a stupid combination, Spanish and English..."

"It's new..." She said quietly, thinking the new name over, sounding alive and strange. "...maybe your name was what kept you interested in finding that...wonder..."

"I changed it because I had forgotten the wonder." He replied

"I know...but maybe it was what reminded you of what you felt when you walked around that odd city..." She sighed, closing her eyes, the heat from his body like a pillow as she lay her lay on his shoulder. "Yes...you're remembering something you lost...and...I remember that too..."

"...forget the past..." he said slowly, letting Melody join him for the last parts.

"Observe the present...focus on the future..." they both finished, Michael staying silent for a minute before sighing and smiling gently.

"I'm surprised I can remember that..." he said, letting her hair brush against his face as he leaned his head down, softly resting his against hers. Her face fell as they stayed still and silent, worry crossing her features now, hand rubbing the scar under her dress again.

"What if I keep remembering?" she asked sadly, hopelessness filling her voice. But in a way knowing he would have something to say, another thing for her to hang on to as she travelled the long road, another new thing she might have never conceived.

"Just...remember this moment." He said slowly, keeping his hand under hers, feeling the warmth of her body. It seemed as warm as the fire he had sat in front of only minutes ago, but much more intense, spreading to his core. They both sat motionless on the cool moss, soft like a cloth draped over the hard stone, the damp night air smelling of grass and wood. Finally Melody let out a small breath and a shiver, gracefully lifting herself off of the mossy boulder to stand with Michael.

"Let's go back...Miguel." She said, silently chuckling at the new name making sure to keep a hold of his hand as she moved off. It felt like when she held Valerie's hand, the small bond that allowed her to be comforted as another took away some of the swirling emotions, balancing out to form a harmony.

"...you're not going to call me that from now on, are you?" he asked, slightly fearful that now everyone would know and soon be calling him by a name he wished to forget, a reminder of his old life.

"Just this once..." She sighed happily, pulling him closer and they made their slow walk back to the fire, the night filled with feelings of renewal.

They had been away talking for so long that Tom and Layla had felt it safe to sit closer to one another. They hid their new relationship, although it would be nothing unusual in the eyes of everyone, out of embarrassment. Neither had intended to wind up having feeling for one another, let alone having the courage to act upon those feelings. Tom had faced wars and looked dying men in the eyes while Layla had seen bitter winters in which the young and frail were taken by cold, but neither of them had expected to end up sitting in front of a warm fire under a swirling white and blue sky, arms wrapped around each other's bodies with eyes half closed and sleep gently nudging at their minds. Nor did they expect to find Michael and Melody leaning over them, looking at the two curiously. Tom quickly snapped his eyes back open and sat up, arms rolling away from Layla as he cricked his neck slightly, trying to make the positioning look more or less accidental.

"You seem tired..." Michael said, Layla also now pulling herself up and smoothing the fur on her front over quickly.

"All that's happened, I suppose..." Tom chuckled, his body now feeling like soft sponge after sitting in front of a warm fire for so long, as well as holding Layla close to him.

"You both looked...sweet." Melody said, shifting her gaze to Layla with a shrewd glint in her eye, Layla rolled her eyes and looked away embarrassedly. She would rather not speak, it was hard to fool a psychic. "I think she's taken a liking to you, Tom". Layla shot Melody an irritated look, noting wanting her to put it so simply, but also not wanting her to insinuate it publically.

"Well...we're all friends here." Tom said, looking back to the fire, now burning softer and slower, casting a gentle orange light across his tan trousers. If he wanted to avoid further questions, as well as have some privacy with Layla, they would both have to leave quickly. "...We're both tired, we should probably be heading to bed now..". He pulled himself up and unzipped his tent, trying not to seem too urgent, Layla stretching her legs as she stood tiredly. Tom climbed in along with Layla, Melody giving a small wave and a smile.

"Sleep well, you two..." She said, Layla leaning her head back to finally try and deny what she knew Melody was thinking, but Tom pulled her back before she could, thinking silence was perhaps best. If the others had to know, they could figure it out themselves, while he and Layla would say nothing. Melody gave a small laugh, Michael unzipping their own tent, thinking it best they get some sleep too

"What are you laughing about?" Michael asked, Melody looking at him like he was dense.

"I think Layla and Tom...they're experiencing what we did..." She sighed, Michael shaking his head and crawling inside the tent, Melody behind him.

"They've been close, but I didn't expect this to happen..." Michael said, sliding into one of the sleeping bags and resting his head on the soft material. "I hope they don't go through what we did...". Melody wriggled closer to Michael, resting her head on the cool velvety fabric of his sleeping bag, her own staying snug around her.

"Maybe it will be better for them...they will trust each other more..." She said sleepily, closing her eyes and letting the warm darkness comfort her. "I think I'm trusting you more to...". Michael pulled one arm out of the confines of the bag and stroked her hair gingerly as she lay there. They were starting to realise ways to help one another, out of mutual interest and care, rather than out of pity.

"Promise you'll to trust me more when we wake up?" he asked quietly. "Even you if don't, I'll do it for you..."

"...I"ll try...it's all we can do..." She said, her breathing slowing as she drifted to sleep along with him. It was the same every morning and every night. The frayed bond would tear at them when they awoke, ravish their minds with unbearable sadness, regret and despair. They would look at each other like strangers, but grow to recognise, befriend and perhaps love again all in one day. Then the night would fall, the pinnacle of their feelings, and they would sleep, to wake again in painful disarray. They never won the infinite game of love and restoration, they could only do a little better each time, in hopes that one day they would wake up and the last few frayed strings in their hearts would have intertwined again.

The next morning the four had quickly disassembled the tents and covered the remains of the fire, eating only a quick breakfast of energy bars and a small packet of dry Pokémon food for Layla and Melody. Little talk had been made between Michael and Melody as the camp was taken apart, the feelings the two felt going without saying by now. But the promise of trust from the night before stayed with them, and they stood by one another, shirking the feelings of repulsion as they worked. Tom and Layla had spent the night slightly embarrassed but happy, staying awake slightly longer than the other two, Tom telling Layla of the world she had fallen into and he had fallen out of. She seemed to be fascinated by it, although she had seen what it had to offer, and at times wondered where she would stand when the time surely came for the gate between the worlds to be closed. But that seemed far off now, and she pushed it from her mind, forgetting it by the time the packs were on their backs and their feet on the road, continuing their march towards the engulfed in chaos.

The moment they hit the trail, Tom had taken out one of the small black radios, switching it on and talking to the operator, already wake and on duty.

"What's your position from the edge of the city?" The operator's voice crackled over the radio, thick and harsh.

"I'd say we're only two kilometres off by now.." Tom replied. "We'll be there in an hour or so, where are the sensors we're meant to be checking?"

"One is placed approximately one kilometre from the city on the side of the road, radio when you see it." The operator replied, running over a map of the area and reading other positions out to Tom. "Second is at the outskirts of the city, in the suburbs, Will advise further when you reach the limits."

"What are we looking for?" he asked, scanning the road ahead of any sign of the sensor, the road being almost dead straight, not seeing any. "On the sensors, what are we checking?". The radio remained silent for a minute before another voice cackled through, the familiar aged voice of Will.

"Visible cracks in the casing, bent wires or antennas...there are three latches on the back, flick them open and look inside for any breaks in the circuitry..." Will said, pausing for a moment as if to check around him. "Also...visual or audio phenomena..."

"Will?...wait, what do you mean?" Tom asked, still slightly annoyed with Will sending them on this unneeded errand.

"It could be something nearby...or interference...remember I said...what it might be?" He said, mumbling the last part, Tom managing to pick up on it. The odd cut off near the centre of the portal, the sensors failing for seemingly no reason, all the things that seemed odd to Will, all the things he suspected a creature like Palkia to create.

"Alright, we'll radio you again when we're at the first sensor...out" Tom finished, clipping the radio onto the side of his belt, handing Michael one to do the same. They could switch channels and talk privately if needed, something he had hoped the operators did not expect a group of "civilians" to do.

Within roughly half an hour, they spotted the first sensor. Layla spotted it first, noticing it hanging high in a tree, the forests so natural to her she could pick up the foreign rigging in an instant. It was an odd looking machine, the size of her torso and made of black painted metal, boxy with a few wires connecting the an antenna atop it. Melody made quick work of it, undoing the straps psychically and gently lifting the machine down to the ground, where it dropped with a small thud.

"First sensor seems fine..." Tom spoke into the radio, looking the machine over. "No cracks, split wires..." Tom flipped the three latches on the back as will had instructed and peered inside. The majority of the machine consisted of a large metallic drum, the actual sensor Tom assumed, coupled by wires to various electronic circuits, none of which seemed the least bit damaged. "The inside is fine too."

"Noted, proceed to the city limits, we'll advise you where the second sensor was placed during that time." The operator answered, the radio cutting out afterwards, the group getting ready to move back out. As they hit the road again Michael saw something white out of the corner of his eye, turning his head quickly enough to see what he thought was a city house, sitting in the middle of the forest as if it was built there. But the second he opened his mouth to speak, it shimmered away in faster than he could see. It was odd to see a mirage in a forest, and he wasn't entirely sure it could have been a mirage in the first place.

Within the next hour they finally reached the city limits, the houses suddenly beginning as if the city had somehow melded with the forest, the houses surrounded by the wild forest. A small sign by the side of the road signalled their arrival. Viridian City. The city of Evergreen. Their feet hit the pavement and immediately they were awed by the emptiness of the city combined with the large trees interspaced between the houses, nature seeming to have taken over, but man having let it be so. The houses were all generic sub urban housing, white walls with one or two floors, a small front yard and a driveway, nothing extraordinary. The light that bathed the city now made it seem like they were standing on a place at the edge of the world, the sky of white and grey swirling cloud cast odd shadows and even odder rays of light that seemed to bend in ways they shouldn't. The city seemed...unearthly. Tom placed the radio to his mouth again as they reached the end of the first street, which branched out four ways, grass growing wild over the sides of the pavement and a small knoll at the corners of the intersection.

"We've reached the outskirts, where is the second sensor?" He asked, the radio cackling with more static than before, obscuring the operators voice further.

"Confirm your position; can you see a street sign?" The operators asked, Tom looking to the sign at the left corner in front of him, slightly bent out of shape.

"Sunvale road." He read out. The radio was silent for a half a minute, Tom wondering if the transmission had somehow cut out. He was about to test it when the operator spoke again.

"Uh, reconfirm that location?" The operator asked.

"Sunvale road, it crosses another street called...Abbots road." He repeated, the operator silent for a small moment.

"You've just entered the city, correct?" The operator asked, Tom scowled, wondering what the man was pulling on them.

"Yes, we just entered from the road you dropped us on..." He answered. The operator stuttered slightly before getting his sentence out.

"Sunvale road his 150 metres south of where say you've entered from...are you sure you entered from the same road?" The operator asked.

"Yes, I'm sure." Tom said frustratedly, not understanding what the operator meant, turning at face the entrance of the city again. "We walked to the end of the road from the entrance where...where..." Tom never finished the sentence. He was staring at something that didn't make sense, the others also having noticed, looks of utter bewilderment and fear on their faces as they saw the forest entrance they had came from now did not exist. In its place was a dead end road, a cul-de-sac of houses which lead to their point.

"What...just happened?" Michael said, not believing what he was seeing. Tom shook his head a few times, Layla beside him looking around quickly, sure this was an illusion by some wild or escaped ghost Pokémon. But the only aura she sensed was their own.

"I have no idea..." Tom said, forgetting the radio at his side, the operator on the other end shouting into the transmitter, asking what was happening, where they were and what they saw. Looks of confusion and disbelief crossed Toms face as he ran a hand through his hair and pulled the radio back to his mouth.

"We're sure...somehow we're not on the same road we were before..." He said.

"Clarify..." The operator asked no understanding, Tom grunting in annoyance and continuing on anyway.

"Just tell us where the second sensor is." He said bluntly.

"It's located west of you, on the corner of Abbots road, but we need you to clarify that last statement, where are you an-" Tom cut off the operator as he switched the radio off, placing it at his belt again and turning to the others.

"Come on, forget what just happened..." he said, slight growl in his voice, motioning to follow as he began his way down Abbots Road. "Let's find this bloody sensor before I chew Will out on this bullshit..."

They all followed, all confused and lost as to what had happened. One minute they had entered the city and could see the lush forest behind them, then next the very streets themselves had risen up beneath them and snaked their way closed behind them. Michael looked overhead, seeing the clouds above him, swirling faster than before. They were closer. He didn't know how, none of them did, but they were closer to the centre of the storm.

The second sensor was found at the end of the road, hidden away behind the fence of one of the houses that lined the street, in every way a duplicate of the one they had seen before. Tom made the checks over the casing and subsequently the inner workings, finding nothing out of place. Layla was looking around, a disturbed look on her face. The city seemed so empty, utterly and completely desolate. She couldn't see the sky, or what lay ahead beyond the buildings packed tightly into the urban area. Worst of all, she could not sense anything. Aura was abundant in every living thing, and even though cities were made of dead, lifeless concrete and processed wood, the massive throng of people who dwelled within always made up for it and sometimes caused it to exceed the aura she felt in the forest. But here they were alone, even the natural trees and grass scattered around the city only illuminate small sparks in the sea of darkness, a land of the dead. Melody was fortunate she could not sense it, but at the same time sensed something else. Clairvoyance was not perfect in any psychic species and all had their own ways of seeing with it. Melody could foretell emotion and tension, but only for small gaps of time, and they were never clear. Right now, she felt great foreboding, a warning to leave and escape. But it was not something possible to escape. There was a reason Gardevoir never attempted to act on their visions. It was because they knew they were absolute, unchangeable and incorruptible. It was also the reason they did not warn anyone of these visions, they did not want to force worry on them, as too many did not understand the idea of an immovable fate.

"The sensor is fine, an-...no I'm not going to confirm our damn positions!" Tom growled into the radio, sick of the operator insisting on knowing what had happened before. "Put Will on, now...". The operator argued for a moment, but was silenced, static soon resuming to flow over the radio. It took a minute before any answer was given, but finally another voice crackled through the radio.

"What happened? They said your positions are co-ordinating..." Will asked, sounding slightly annoying at being dragged away from his work. "Why does this concern me?...". His question was more one of genuine curiosity and seriousness than an angry excuse to get away from the radio.

"Will, you known the most about these things so explain this..." Toms said, taking a breath before beginning. "We entered the city through the same road we were brought through...look at the map as I tell you. We made our way into the city and confirmed out position at the corner of Sunvale road and Abbots road...that position, if the military are right, is further into the city than we should be. We turned around, and the entrance was gone, there were only more houses...now explain." Will stayed silent for a moment, looking over the maps, comparing the two positions that were indeed nowhere near each other. Will thought for a moment, wondering over the possibility of what this was. He had a few ideas, impossible in a practical Newtonian system to occur without intervention, but in this case, they could perhaps be possible.

"It's...it could be a parabolic bend..." Will said, Tom grunting in annoyance at the vagueness. Will kept going, not expecting them to understand from the term itself. "You're inside an area where the fabric of space and time are being stretched, the portal itself is where the complete tear is, so it's potentially possible for space to...wrap around itself."

"You mean we just walked through an invisible portal?..." Tom asked, not completely understanding but seeing the edges of what Will was getting at.

"It's more complex than that...imagine the city is a piece of paper and you're an ant walking across it..." Will began, it was an old example he used for his students, and it had served to visualise the idea very well. "it takes you one minute to cross the paper, but if someone put you on the edge and rolled the paper so both ends were touching, then it would take only a second and seem seamless..."

"So...space is bending itself and we're walking from edge to edge?" Tom asked.

"In a way...all you need you need to know is this; space is being bent, pinched, spread and morphed in that area. You might not come across anything else like this, but if you do then you won't even notice it until it undoes itself. Don't be surprised if be surprised if you're looking forward and suddenly the view changes, you can walk through it...but you'll end up somewhere else..." Will explained, the operator sitting next to him, not understanding but comprehending that they could no longer accurately keep track of these people. "Keep telling us your positions, we'll keep guiding you and we can get to out of the city when you're done...who knows, it may help." Tom laughed a little, only Will could make folds in the very essence of reality sound like public transport.

"Alright...this is stupid..." Tom said, finding humor in the utter impossibility of the situation. "Where 's the next sensor?". There was a short pause as the operator took over again.

"Linnet street, a kilometre from your...current position. Head along Abbots road until you reach a highway, radio us from there..." The operator said, Tom acknowledging it and switching off the radio again, looking back at the others, particularly at Layla. He had noted her behaviour, but had not had time to ask during the conversation. He motioned for the others to follow, Layla immediately moving closer to him. She walked on her toes, as if expecting to have to leap into battle in an instant, staying close to Tom to make them less of a target, as she had done with the frailer of her pack when travelling to discourage other Pokémon from attacking the weaker.

"What is it?" Tom asked, knowing Layla in this situation served more as a reliable comrade than a lover, and that she preferred it that way.

"This place is...empty..." She said, looking left and right, the packed housing adorned with ornaments and amenities that seemed like relics in a forgotten land. "But sometimes I sense something...whenever I look I see it's something small, like the grass or the tree emitting their aura...but it's like walking in darkness, knowing there has to be something watching you...". She looked up at the sky, obscured by the twisting clouds, growing harder and harder to see against the bright light shining forth. It could be midnight, and she wouldn't know. "I can't even see the sky...". Tom followed her gaze, sighing as he realised that it was like this all around them. Grey in the sky, grey concrete which sounded them, and a grey future ahead of them, teetering between black, white and every other colour, knowable. Neither of them liked that, not knowing what could come next, feeling helpless not only to themselves to helpless to each other.

"Neither can I..." Tom said, staring into the shining ball of light ahead of them as they made their way into the concrete wasteland, where no one had ventured and no one could see. "Neither can I..."


	25. Chapter 25

They walked on, unsure of whether it was evening or night now, the sky remaining in a state of perpetually shifting clouds from which white light filtered over the grey landscape. Linnet Street was a wide road with small shops lining either side of it, quaint in the urban environment, some windows smashed and things appearing to have been stolen. Although it made them wonder what good would come from someone stealing items such as large TV sets or flashy clothes when faced with such a threat over their heads, but apparently someone had held onto their sanity long enough to clear out the produce stores, which served more as a curse with nothing but ration bars for them to consume while in the desolate city. After the small parade of shops the street ended with an off ramp, leading down onto a wide highway, four lanes on each side. Michael gasped in shock when he saw how littered the road was with smashed vehicles and scattered car parts. One car sat in a smouldering wreck, ramped up on the dividing block between the two sides of the highway, while many other sat around it similarly, glass shattered and interiors shredded.

"I guess everyone panicked and tried to get out..." he said, Tom only looking over the destruction for a second before leading them down the ramp to the main body of the road. "They must have rioted when the traffic was jammed..."

"I don't think riot is the right word here..." Tom muttered, spotting a body trapped under an overturned car, long dead and lying bloated in the open air.

They continued down the highway, Tom receiving directions to take the second off ramp they came across as they moved down the road. The cars were packed tightly for the most part, some spaces hosting large pile ups where there had obviously been. The air was still, not a sound emanating from anywhere around them, the only thing they could hear being their feet shuffling along the asphalt. Melody kept looking around, stretching her head to search the roads which crossed overhead and the buildings which towered high to the side of the road, as if expecting something. She felt uncomfortable, anxious, but she could not see what it was that she should be anxious about. Gardevoir had always possessed clairvoyance, but it was never as clear as they hoped it was, only describing emotions and feelings to her, never giving a clear picture. She knew there was nothing she could do it stop what may come, she knew her clairvoyance was absolute, something that was unchangeable.

"Melody?..." Michael's voice broke her from her trance, the silence around her being shattered. "What's wrong? You look nervous..."

"There's...something here..." She said slowly, trying to so sound too panicked, not wanting the others to suddenly think they were under siege. "I don't know what it is...where it is..." Tom looked at her for a moment, turning to Layla.

"Can you sense anything?" he asked, looking around himself, trying to spot any movement in the dull, lifeless wasteland. They had just passed the first off ramp, the second being in sight straight ahead, letting him just make out the black sensor which sat by the side of it.

"Nothing...there is little aura around..." She said, scanning the area along with Tom. "The only aura I can sense...is..." She seemed confused for a moment; as if she had forgotten something or that something didn't make sense. With a smooth motion she grabbed Tom and yanked him sideways, behind one of the cars which littered the highway, doing the same for Michael and Melody. Michael winced as he hit his side on a bumper, wondering what was wrong. Tom quickly regained his bearings and crouched low behind the car.

"What happened? You told me there wasn't anything near." He asked quickly, Layla giving him a glare that told him to keep quiet.

"There wasn't...I don't know how but...someone suddenly appeared..." She said, closing her eyes to concentrate on the miniscule amount of aura around the area. The four dreadlock like columns of fur that hung from the rear of her head began to levitate slightly, a faint blue glow emanating from them. Tom had always though they were simply strands of fur, used for some obscure purpose, but now it seemed they acted almost like antenna, picking up on the mysterious energy Layla knew of called aura. In truth, Layla didn't know much about it either, she knew of no Lucario's who knew of it's true origin or purpose, only that it was there and she could use it to her advantage. She found herself in a dark area as she searched, having to rid herself of all other thoughts to delve deeper than just the surface of the world, the void ahead of her vast and seemingly endless. She looked deeply into the inky darkness, feeling isolated and...scared. She didn't often experience fear, but the feeling of utter lifelessness around her was something she had almost never felt, the area of darkness usually illuminated by vibrant blue as the aura from every living being coursed through the world. Her gaze caught sight of three small glows in the distance, something she had sensed before, faint as it was. They grew closer, aura flowing quickly, unfettered by their lack of ability. They had to be human, enemy or not, they were human.

"Three people are coming...they're not far from us and...they're moving fast." Layla said, opening her eyes, dazed by the light of the world for a second and having to shake her head to clear the blackness from her vision.

"Why would they still be here?..." Tom aid slowly. "They can't be trapped here...unless those space distortions Will told us about keep setting them back..."

"They could be trying to scavenge things from the city..." Michael said. Despite having seen the shops that had been broken into and raided, Tom shook his head, wishing he had a gun right now. He didn't have any time to think as the sudden roaring of an engine sounded in the distance.

They all poked their heads out, trying not to be seen by whoever was coming. They couldn't have been on the freeway, it was a scrap metal graveyard, and if they were coming from the side of the road then there was little hope for hiding. A pickup truck roared into view on the road elevated above the off ramp beyond them, three men sitting on the flatbed, each one dressed in army fatigues. But it was obvious these people were not a part of the army that had sent them in on this mission that was considered suicide, the bandanna's over their heads coloured a deep red or blue, marking them as people Michael wished he had never met. Members of Aqua and Magma. He knew that God must have been playing a cruel trick on him, not understanding how they could be here, sudden fear leaping into his hear at the idea of another confrontation. It seemed impossible and illogical why they would be here, being obvious why the organizations had kept their business to Hoenn, knowing they had easily conquered the region without giving the army time to respond.

"This place was supposed to be deserted..." Tom muttered quietly. The truck roared along the overpass and out of sight, but not before one of the men riding on the rear of the truck took a pot shot at the sensor lying at the base of the off ramp, cheering and hooting as he saw the bullets ricochet off the metal before the truck disappeared behind a building.

"They're armed, too..." Michael said, wishing things could be simple for once.

"Any idea why there're here?" Tom asked, getting up along with Layla and continuing to cautiously advance. Michael helped Melody up, who had been uncomfortably thrown to the ground, her dress now slightly dirty around the edge.

"They're insane to try staying here..." Michael said, turning his eyes to the blinding centre of the storm. "This place could go at any minute..."

"Not if Will's thought this through...he wants to know what's going on here, something he didn't tell that sergeant..." Tom assumed, hoping the old scientist knew what he was doing in leading a charge like this.

"Maybe they are...looking for whatever is causing this." Melody said, having the feeling of foreboding come over her again, the look drawing concern from Michael.

"Why would they want that?" Michael asked. He knew that the members of Aqua and Magma had seen the power that Palkia held, knowing that even they seemed shocked by the command the creature had held over the sky itself that night. The two groups could not have been stupid to have taken over Hoenn.

"They might want to keep this portal open..." She said, knowing where it could lead and what could be done if they were able to use it.

"Right, but we don't even know how they got here." Tom said, leading the group out of the wreckage of the freeway and up the off ramp. "For all we know they could be some thugs who were sent in a while ago and been forgotten about...they didn't seem organized." They reached the top of the ramp, quickly surveying the area for the vehicle that had appeared moments before, finding the street as barren and as grey as everything else in the city. The buildings had now grown in height, becoming skyscrapers, and offices for once successful companies that now sat with shattered windows and smashed concrete. Tom gave the casing of the sensor a quick look over once they were sure they were alone, again finding little fault except for the large dent caused by the recent bullet. The insides appeared fine, just like every other sensor they had come across. He was starting to believe Will more and more that something was up, something which kept the portal open, and something that would no doubt lead to trouble.

As Tom radioed the operator and received directions on where to go next, Melody and Layla were surveying the area with a great curiosity. It was not that they hadn't seen human dwellings and cities before, even in the wild they caught glimpses of the great towering buildings and complex systems which they created, but instead it was with a feeling they could not place. The area felt calm, sacred almost, but for whoever reason they could not tell. Perhaps it was the people and perhaps Pokémon who had died in this place, an abandoned city of the dead, or perhaps it was something more. Michael and Tom didn't share this feeling, the city seeming more like a Tomb to them, drawing them in deeper until the gates would shut and they would slowly choke within the concrete graveyard.

"No suspicious activity...out." Tom said, flicking off the radio again, motioning for the others to follow as he started off down the same street the car had sped down. "let's go..."

"Why didn't you tell them about what we saw?" Michael questioned, wondering exactly how many people remained in the city besides themselves.

"Because they'd pull us out..." Tom said, flexing his shoulders under the weight of the backpack. "Will was right...there's something here...it's not just the sensors that are the problem."

"Can you feel it?..." Melody asked, head down slightly, eyes half closed as she listened to the silence that hung in the streets. "It feels like...something is going to happen..."

"It's doomed city..." Michael said slowly. "Maybe you're feeling the calm before the storm..."

"Are we going to be in the middle of it?" She asked, fearing that when the time came for this city to die, they might die with it.

"Not if we can help it." Tom said, sighing as he looked into the grey sky. If it wasn't for the clock on the small screen of the radio, he would have no idea if it were night or day here. "Perhaps we should stop for a while, we've been walking for a while now..." It was not hard to find shelter, the storefronts and office doors being smashed and easily thrown open, allowing them to wander into one of the lobbies of the buildings lining the road.

Despite the broken glass and doorframe hanging off its hinges, the inside of the lobby looked as if it had been operating only hours ago. The red carpet remained clean, stretching out over the floor where benches and tables lay, a large marble desk sat at the end room against the wall, papers still strewn about it. Potted plants adorned the office along with paintings and posters that hung over the white plaster walls. Even if power remained in the city, Tom didn't trust the elevators to take them higher. They climbed the stairs to the third floor, finding offices left hastily, many personal effects remaining. Thankfully the floor also contained a break room, the couches inside serving as a welcome rest along, even finding the refrigerator was still operating. When Tom pried it open though, it was obvious that half the food was rotten, the stench making him quickly slam the door shut again, sighing and making his way to one of the couches to lie down.

"Do we have much food?" Layla asked as she sat cross-legged on the floor, having felt the gnawing in her stomach for a while now, though putting it off for the sake of watching out in the unknown land.

"Just some nutrient bars for us and some Pokémon food for you and Melody." He said, the thought of such food not doing anything to quell his hunger.

Melody had taken a place on the opposite couch with Michael next to her, now allowing him to sit closer to her without nervousness, letting her body relax into the soft leather upholstery, taking hold of a packet of Pokémon food which Tom handed to her. They all relaxed, eating their meals in silence, Michael grimacing slightly as he bit into the tasteless, stale nutrient bar. He knew he had no right to complain about the food in this time, but he would have at least preferred something that did not taste like cardboard and sour milk. He got up and left, leaving the bar on the couch as everyone watched him leave. They would have said something, thinking he was frustrated, if it were not for the sudden shattering of glass which came seconds later. Layla rose to her feet in an instant, making a leap over the couch and into the hallway outside the small break room followed by Tom, expecting to finally encounter something hostile up close. Tom almost laughed when he saw Michael brandishing a fire extinguisher, slamming it into the glass of a vending machine not far down the hall.

"Learning to be resourceful, I see." He said, Michael dropping the extinguisher and reaching past the now shattered glass to grab a few snacks, tossing three to Tom before taking a few for himself. They made their way back to the break room, Tom ripping the wrapping off of one of the bars and eagerly taking a bite. It was certainly better than a nutrient bar, even if it wasn't as good for him, he could forsake that for now.

Michael sat next to Melody, unwrapping a bar as Tom had done. He picked off a few squares of the thick chocolate and held them out to Melody.

"Do you want some?" He asked. He wasn't sure if Pokémon would like such foods, but he supposed it was curious to offer some anyway. Melody looked at the few squares he held, smelling the sweet aroma of the chocolate, the scent completely new to her.

"What is it?" She asked, taking one of the small blocks and looking a bit closer. "It...doesn't look very nice..."

"Human's call it chocolate, it's like a...treat, really." He said, stumbling a bit for the words to explain. "Humans don't eat as many berries as Pokémon...so something that tastes sweet is special to us."

"...what's it made of?" She asked, Michael being amused by **herhe** her inquisitiveness, trying to explain as best he could.

"There a plant called cocoa...and humans take the beans from the plant and crush them..." He started, realising immediately after that it was all he knew of how the stuff was really made. "Then...well, honestly I don't know what happens...you might want to eat it now." Melody looked back at the piece of chocolate, now slightly melted in her hand, leaving a mark on her palm. She put the piece in her mouth, finding the flavour oddly sweet and savoury at the same time, not sweet like a berry with it's sharp tang but sweet like a mellow moment of contentedness.

"It's nice...but I don't think I'll have more..." She said, taking the small packet of Pokémon food again. It wasn't a berry but she now knew it wasn't as tasteless as it looked. "It seems like something special..."

"A lot of people give it to other as a gift, like an expression of..." Michael paused for a moment, looking at the wrapper in his hand. "Love...it's not just a food all the time"

"Eat too much and you're going to get out of shape." Tom said, laughing a bit as he patted Layla's head, a gesture she didn't exactly feel accustomed too but still enjoyed the contact. "Sometimes people let others go because they're too out of shape, it's ironic." Layla pushed her head against Tom's hand gently, liking the feeling of his hand rubbing her fur, but also wincing at the slight grit which rubbed against her flesh under the fur.

"Is there anywhere to wash here?..." She asked, her fur noticeably dishevelled and shining slightly more with accumulated grime and sweat, beginning to feel more conscious of her own body with the action dulled around her.

"There's probably some bathrooms around here. If they don't have a shower they'll at least have a sink or two..." Tom said, stretching as he rose, looking over at Michael and Melody.

"are you two planning on washing up as well? It might be the last chance for a while." He said, Layla standing beside him, smoothing the fur on her head which had stuck out after Tom's hand had raked through it.

"We'll wait for you two..." Michael said, Melody nodding with him. Tom rolled his eyes slightly with a smile, walking out into the corridor with Layla.

The company seemed to provide well for its employees, which worked for Tom and Layla as they found a small gym room two floors above where they had been, showers off to the right. They both entered, Tom reaching up to one of the knobs next to the shower heads, hoping the water in the city had not been turned off. The reward was a jet of hot water and steam filling the cubicle of the shower, forcing him to turn it off again to avoid scalding himself.

"At least it works..." he said, standing back. A few lockers stood in the corner of the gym which he had raided, managing to find some clean towels for the both of them, throwing one which had been draped over his shoulder to Layla. He started off to another cubicle further down the line. "This'll at least help us relax...we might need it soon."

"Tom?..." Layla called before he could enter one of the stalls, nervous and slightly edgy. "I can't reach..." she stumbled off mid-sentence, unwilling to say what she was planning to say. Tom walked back to her, bending down slightly to match her height, Layla being about half a metre shorter than him.

"You want to shower with me?" Tom asked bluntly. Layla would've rolled her eyes at the forwardness if it were not for the fluster that came over her, grunting in annoyance and nodding.

"Yes...that may help..." She said, closing her eyes in slight agitation. She didn't like the way the idea made her seem incapable of washing herself.

She stepped into the shower with Tom, both standing awkwardly for a moment, Tom finally clearing his throat a little before sliding off his shirt. Layla did not exactly understand what humans found attractive in one another, as she had heard the oddest stories about their lives from various Pokémon who had observed them closely, but she suspected if they viewed strength and wisdom in their relationships as much as her own kind did, Tom may have been a top pick for any female. She didn't care about the muscles that showed through his arms or stomach, knowing from experience that such things were useless unless one knew how to use them, the reason why even the oldest Lucario was considered attractive when he could easily defeat younger and more virile ones in combat. But from what she had seen of him and he of her, and of what he had told her as well as what she had told him, was what drew her to him and what caused the feelings of intimacy to flourish inside of her. She had been so lost in thought that it was only now she felt the hot water running down her fur, warmth clinging beneath it, now moving her hands to start massaging the dirt out of it the way she always did. Although it brought a flush to both of their faces, Tom laid his hands on her shoulders, helping to rub away the dirt as well as the tension in her body. The act lost its awkwardness as he continued, reminding them both of how they were at the camp before Michael had shown up, Layla's eyes half closed as Tom massaged her shoulders and stomach in a trance.

Her mind wandered in the steam which flowed through the air, so like the patterns of aura she often saw dancing in the blackness of the world, panting in the heat of the moment. She was no stranger to nudity, it was a human concept within the Pokémon world, clothes being something only humans and very select Pokémon adorned themselves with. But now without clothes it was an almost exciting chance to see the true human form, something hidden away as if forbidden, and now something that made her feel anxious. She sighed and moaned, perhaps a bit too loudly, as Tom massaged the muscles on her stomach and legs. He leaned down to kiss her, something brought on by the heat of the moment, ensuring both of them that now it was no longer simple washing. Her eyes turned to the steam around them again, twisting and turning like the aura she felt flowing around the world...aura that seemed to flow from outside the building.

She suddenly realised that the darkness she had experience before had been broken, streams of fast flowing aura coursing through her sense, quickened like the water that ran down her fur. She pushed Tom away, seeing the almost disappointed look on his face replaced by only a second of hurt, but it did not matter to her right now. Tom was about to ask what was wrong when he saw the intense look of peace that had come over her face, body still in the steam of water that came from above, realising something was wrong as the four furred bulbs along the back of her head began to levitate. She stared intently into the blackness that surrounded her like a sudden Smokey veil, whipping her head around to catch a glimpse of what she had sensed for a moment, and saw it within seconds. Below them, between the blocks of dead concrete that made up this city, five bright lights burned as they threw off streams of pulsating blue aura. Humans, but she expected nothing less now. But as to what they were planning, she could not say, as they stood still outside the building as if observing it. She opened her eyes again, letting Tom's worried face fill her vision.

"We might not be safe here..." She said, fiddling with the lock on the stall door but managing to get it open, taking her towel with her. Tom shut the shower off, quickly following Layla as he scooped up his clothes and towel.

"What happened?" He asked firmly, attempting to dry quickly as Layla seemed intent on leaving as soon as possible now.

"Five humans are on the street below us..." She said unsurely, not knowing if she was acting too rashly or not, but she thought that in this case it would be best to listen to her instincts. "...do you think they followed us?"

"Maybe, but they would've acted sooner if they did and were armed..." He said, throwing on his shirt and sparing a few buttons as he did it up. Layla's fur was still damp, but it was something that didn't matter now, simply towelling off as much as she could before they made their way out of the showers, leaving the towels in on the floor. "Were trapped here if they manage to get inside, we'd have no choice but to go higher until we reach the roof. We're going to get Michael and Melody, then try slip out of the back of the building if they haven't started moving by then." By this time they were practically running down the hallways, past offices and bounding down flights of stairs.

"What if they start moving before we get that far?" Layla asked, rounding the corner to the break room, bursting in on Michael with Melody laying her head on his legs, both surprised by the sudden entrance.

"We just hope they don't..." He said, turning to the two on the couch. "Get your pack, we're leaving, don't question this..." His sternness shocked them into obedience, Melody quickly moving off of Michael, disappointed they did not get to clean up as well. What she felt though, the foreboding which she had felt earlier, seemed to be evident on Tom's face. Michael grabbed her hand and quickly led her out with Tom and Layla as they started down the hallway. They ran, following Tom, barrelling down the stairs and nearly tripping as they hit the second floor. Tom did not lead them to the next stairwell, risking a quick look through one of the office windows looking down into the street.

Five men stood, surveying the surrounding area, each armed with a high powered weapon. But they were not aqua or magma, instead they wore army fatigues, thickly padded with Kevlar. Suddenly one of the men pulled a radio to his ear, speaking quickly and instantly motioning to the other four. The four moved quickly away, right under Tom's view and into the building. Tom swore under his breath, motioning to the others to follow as he made his way up the stairs again.

"They've started moving, dammit!" he growled, leading the group higher and higher up the building, soon feeling the aching in his legs as he forced his way up the flights of stairs. Michael was a flight behind, not used to running this intensely, breathing heavily as he tried to catch up.

They stopped on what appeared to be the tenth floor of the building, Tom resting his legs and panting, Layla the same. Melody, despite her levitation, grew flustered with the speed in which they had to travel, gently giving Michael a boost to join them as she lifted him the next flight of stairs. They knew that beneath them the men who had been sent in were fanning out, searching the building. Tom was lost on how they found them, or why they seemed part of the army rather than the unified gangs, remembering how they had been told the army did not risk going into the city. Nevertheless, they could not risk being caught by anyone.

"Are we just going to keep moving up?" Michael asked, leaning over the railing of the stairwell and looking far up into the twisting flights that stretched for at least twenty more floors. "We'll hit the roof soon enough..."

"I know, but if they're purposely looking for someone right now then they're hopefully combing the floors. We'll have some time to think of something while they look..." Tom said, starting up the stairwell again, slower this time as not to wear everyone out again.

"Do the elevators work?" Michael asked, Tom wishing it was as easy as that.

"If the electricity works then the elevators probably would..." He said, looking towards the large metals doors which stood next to the stairwell as they reached the top of another flight. "But we can't take them; they'd know when they see the floor display working..."

"Send one down then." Michael said, stopping Tom before he could climb another flight, Tom looking at him oddly. "They'll think someone's heading for the bottom floor and all go there." Tom looked Michael over again, admiring the thought and appreciating how resourceful he seemed right now, but ultimately sighing as he answered.

"Once they see it's empty they'll rush to where it was sent from, just showing them where we were." He said, climbing the stairs again, Layla growing tired from the journey now, being much shorter with a dislike of heights to boot. "We couldn't take it without being noticed either..." he stopped himself after that sentence, mid stride on the stairs as an idea hit him. He laughed out loud at the idea, looking back at Michael with an admirable smile.

"But what if they didn't see us!" He said excitedly, moving to the elevator and looking at the display, finding which floor it was parked on. "Michael, you've got half the plan...and I've just figured out the other half!" He quickly started up the stairs again, the others struggling to keep up. "seventeenth floor, that's where we're going..."

They ran five flights of stairs, unsure of what this plan was, but not having anywhere else to go. By the end of the run they were all tired, Tom included, but stumbled to the elevator. Tom pressed the button, the door dinging and sliding open. Tom beckoned everyone inside, closing the door afterwards, the others giving him odd looks. He looked above them, surveying the ceiling panels of the elevator, finding one in the corner and quickly balancing himself on the railing as he grabbed at it. Pushing up, straining against the panel, feeling it rattle under his hands.

"Secured shut…" he muttered. He looked at Melody, motioning to the panel. "There's a hatch here, there's latches on the other side, can you somehow flip those…psychically?". Melody looked at where Tom was pushing, closing her eyes and letting her mind clear from the adrenaline of the escape.

"I'll try…" She said, reaching out with her mind and feeling all around the area where she had been directed. In times where she could not even see what she was meant to be moving she was no better than blind, her mind touching the rough edges of the elevator cart, feeling the rough metal as if she had placed her hands onto it. She felt four small tabs, loose and easily moved, despite the grit that had gathered under them from years in the dank environment. Tom kept pushing as she flipped them away, soon letting him break through and flip the hatch open, laughing at his success.

"Great work…" Michael said, watching Tom crawl through the hatch and into the elevator shaft, Melody opening her eyes again to see him.

"Thank you…" He said happily, glad she was so apart of this, even if it did make her slightly nervous.

"You two, come on, grab my hand and pull yourselves up." Tom called through the hatch, reaching his hand down. Melody motioned forward to Michael, letting him move forward first and grab Tom's hand as he stood on the rails, letting himself be helped through the shaft. The grime and grease on the car stained his shirt and hands, the shaft dark and smelling of oil, the air hot and thick, almost hard to breathe. Melody levitated higher, seeming to hoist herself up without help through the hatch and settling beside Michael, looking up fearfully at the shaft which seemed to stretch forever.

"Here's what we're going to do…" Tom began, steadying himself on the cart. "We're going to send this to the bottom floor while we're up here, with the hatch closed. They'll see it coming and most likely send at least some of their men down to search the elevator. When they see there's no one in here, they're going to check the floor it came from, that's when we get out and try get out the back of the building…"

"How do you know they'll all rush to this floor?" Michael asked

"I don't, but it's all we have to go on right now…" he said, looking back into the cart through the hatch. "Melody, push the first floor button…". Melody reached out again with her mind, this time preforming the task in a near instant without having to concentrate.

The cart shuddered to life, suddenly dropping faster than anyone had expected. Melody nearly fell, her becoming disorientated as her levitation failed her, Michael suddenly grabbing her and pulling her back to her feet. Layla gasped and had to steady herself, not liking the idea of plunging from a height unknown to her on a surface so small, walls racing past her. They all couched low, Tom quickly flipping the hatch shut along with the latches, waiting as he kneeled close to the rusty metal exterior of the cart. Within a minute the cart began to slow, quickly decelerating until it gently crawled into place, the doors dinging as they opened. There appeared to be no one waiting for them, but they waited, listening closely to the sounds below them. Over the creaking and grinding inside the shaft of the elevator, they heard shouts and footsteps, soon settling outside the elevator. The doors opened once again, the soldiers pausing obviously as they surveyed the elevator cart, empty of anything. One spoke, his voice unable to be complete made out above the grinding gears and noise around the four, but followed by footsteps up the stairs that twisted beside the elevators. Then there was silence, horrible silence that filled them with both dread and hope, Tom silently removing the latches of the maintenance hatch and creaking it open. The car seemed abandoned, the door still open, and the outside clear. However he soon saw the solider who stood outside of the doors with his back against the wall next to the doors, as well as the automatic rifle he held, able to take them down in a few seconds. He shut the hatch, turning to Layla.

"…I'm going to go down there, there's one solider…" He said, continuing before Layla could object. "Follow me, and stay quiet…we can get him away quietly if we're careful." Layla knew the rashness in the plan, but Tom's eyes held the same glow in them from when they had fought before, the glow that had returned from his mercenary life that told her he knew he could get through this. She nodded and followed his lead.

Tom opened the hatch silently, lowering himself onto the rails and then onto the ground with slow steps, not a sound coming from the cart. Layla was next, moving as Tom moved towards the solider, leaning against the wall of the car. Layla lowered herself down, but her footing slipped, her height betraying her as she tried to save face and land softly, rattling the cart with a thud. Whipping around, the soldier's sudden movement placed a rifle in Tom's face, eyes darting between the two and about to pull the trigger. Tom's hand came up, slapping the barrel way and pushing the rifle into the shoulders chest, both hands rising and quickly delivering two open strikes to the head. For a moment the soldier was disorientated, Tom yanking the gun away from his chest, tearing it away from his hands and turning it back on the soldiers face, a loud bang erupting along with a sudden splash of warmth over Tom's face. It happened in only two seconds, looking as if Tom had simply slapped the man repeatedly as Layla watched, the bang erupting and the soldier falling back onto the floor, a stain of red over the white wall behind him. Shock didn't have time to register in his mind, a sudden shot firing through the air and a yell from outside. He ducked back inside the elevator, firing a few shots in return. One of the men, most likely the leader of the squad, ducked behind the truck that the soldiers had arrived in, yelling into his radio as he shot back. Michael and Melody were pulled down from the elevator shaft, Tom grabbed Layla as she hugged against the wall reflexively and pulling her along with him as he made a break for it.

"Run!" He yelled, The two still in the elevator not needing to be told twice. They took off along with Tom, sprinting down the hallway towards a supposed freedom. Michael found himself running faster than he ever had, or could, the fact that his legs were making strides three times they long as his step was not normal either. Melody levitated beside him, her body letting of the tell-tale glow of an active psychic, carried him along with herself. Tom led them through the hallways of the building, soon coming to offices with a lovely view of the gravel alley behind the place. The butt of Tom's new rifle crashed through the glass, his stride only slowing a fraction as he threw himself through the shattered window with Layla, Michael and Melody close behind. His mind was made up as they took the alleyway back to the main road, running across the street to a great concrete block of a building, a parking garage.

"Are any of these cars going to even work?" Michael called as they cleared the barrier at the entrance, looking at the mess of cars that sat inside the building, some crashed and wrapped around the thick concrete pylons that lined the buildings. The building smelt of damp stone and oil, fumes from petrol spilled to the ground poisoning the air.

"You're catching on faster, good!" Tom called back, scanning the car park as he ran, looking for a car that was not damaged to the point of uselessness. "Check any vehicle that looks like it might work, the faster we find one the better…" He made his way to one rusted old car, red paint only blemished by a large dent in the front bumper, ramming his rifle butt into the driver side window.

"We don't have any keys…" Michael said, nevertheless grabbing a small brick from the rubble that lay about and driving it into the driver window of the car only a short while away.

"Under the dashboard, red to yellow, if it doesn't work then move onto the next one!" Tom called, having thrown himself under the dashboard, tearing away the fake leather interior, exposing the wires of the ignition system for him. Layla herself could not understand exactly how to do it, instead just smashing the windows of various cars that looked undamaged, her fists being too fragile for the job, using the spike adorned the rear of her palms to shatter the glass.

Michael worked as fast as his hands would let him, smashing windows and tearing away interior to find the red and yellow wires, praying that they would ignite the engine. Each try was met with a sputter of a dead engine or a spark but no roar of life, draining the hope that they would live through this further and further. Sudden shouts from outside stopped them, Tom throwing himself from under the dash board and motioning for the ramp to the next level, taking off just as the 4 soldiers who had been searching for them suddenly rounded the corners, guns raised. Michael and Melody moved quickly, Melody's levitation boosting his movement again, but not without toll. Michael could see the tiredness in her body, the lines of stress on her face as he lifted him along with her. She was so light that Michael could only guess it was as she was carrying three of herself when he levitated him at the rate she did now. Tom ran for a car opposite the ramp, rear bumper and window shattered, smashing the window and turning to Michael and Melody who were following. Melody's levitation failed as she gasped in exhaustion, Michael's momentum carrying him forward and throwing him to the ground in front of Tom. He disregarded it, dropping the high calibre rifle into Michaels hands.

"Keep them off us until I can get this to work…" he said, the steps of the soldiers along the ramp reminding him of every second that was wasted.

Michael scrambled to his feet, side of his face in pain from the sudden fall, the feeling of blood dripping down his cheek nothing compared to the fear and adrenaline he felt right now. The soldiers rounded the corner and he raised the gun, firing a burst of shots that sent the soldiers back behind cover, he himself ducking behind the open door. Melody and Layla lay behind the hood of the car, Layla trying to calm Melody, letting her emotions flow into her as Melody held Layla's hand gently, finding the exchange of fear and the rush of calmness coming easier when another Pokémon was the conduit. The moment one of the soldiers stepped from behind the wall, Michael fired, sending him back behind cover. He knew he couldn't fire forever, and that fear grew when he actually hit a solider dead in the chest, only to have him drag himself back behind the wall of concrete, Kevlar jacket having saved him from a sudden and painful death.

Melody and Layla jumped when they heard the roar of the engine, the car shuddering to life behind them. Tom pulled himself up quickly, gripping the wheel as he slid into the seat, swinging open the passenger doors for the others. Michael fired a few more shots, trying to make sure the soldiers didn't attempt to attack them while they entered the car, sliding into the front seat and after Melody and Layla jumped into the back. Tom sped off before Michael could even close his door, reversing and swinging the car around, speeding towards the ramp to freedom. The soldiers reacted too slow, running out of their shelter to find tonnes of steel rushing towards them, lowering their guns and throwing themselves to the sides of the ramp. One man wasn't fast enough, a look of horror on his face as he was thrown against the wall of the ramp as Tom sped past, his bones breaking with a sickening crunch as he was pushed against the sides of the passage, far too small to hold both of them.

Tom drove on as the soldier rolled to the floor behind the car, shattering the wooden barrier, the car dented enough that it no longer mattered. Michael sunk back into his seat, the rifle in his hand now empty, falling against the door. He ran his hands over his hair, the adrenaline high coming down and leaving him about to crash into the hard ground of reality. Layla sat in the back with Melody, the two seeming to converse silently through their own means, cutting the others from the conversation. It wasn't often they had spoken to each other, Layla content to stay alongside Tom and Melody forcing herself to remain close to Michael to give him a chance at finding her again, but when they did it was never the same as the last time. To Layla, Melody was always alight with emotion, even if she didn't show it as openly as she could, and to Melody, Layla was someone who bottled herself for the good of everyone. But even then, Melody was jealous she could not see why Tom and Layla had been so attracted, sad that she could not figure it out, and almost angry at herself for every initiating a bond with Michael. The road flashed by as they drove, a dulling monotony of concrete and pretty store fronts that served to calm Melody, Michael wondering what the road would have looked like if it were new and alive, Layla not understanding the functions behind everything she saw. Tom was tense, as he always was when he knew something was up, a gut feeling that had developed from years of work doing things that would have him committed as a psychopath in every country.

He turned a corner, hoping to make his path not as obvious as a straight line from the garage where they had escaped the soldiers, but his eyes widened as he turned, slamming the brakes and twisting the steering wheel as hard as he could. The car swerved, Melody calling out in shock from the back as she and Layla were thrown across the rear seat, Michael holding onto the seat as he saw what lay ahead. The same truck which the soldiers had been transported in swerved past, only inches from a collision. Their car spun, Tom straining to regain control but to no avail, Michael receiving a full view of the great brick wall that raced to meet them. His body was thrown before he could think, metallic crunching and crashing exploding into his ears, his body weightless for a moment. His head hit something hard, the dashboard he assumed, feeling no pain from the blow but instead a dullness that spread thought his head. His ears rang, sound around him muffled as he strained to turn his head after the movement had stopped. Melody lay against the window of the rear seat, a spreading crack visible on the glass as her head rested against it. He tried to reach out a hand, the one which was not trapped under him, desperately reaching to wake Melody. But his strength failed him, his hand falling as if a string had snapped from supporting it, landing on something soft. His head slumped, the darkness crowding his vision as he saw his hand resting on Layla's fur, sprawled over the small floor in front of the back seat, eyes half open as she failed to hang onto consciousness. Dull pain pulsed through his head as he finally surrendered to the nothingness that came next.

He awoke slowly and painfully, the throbbing in his head that he had felt seemingly moments before now like a hammer blow to his mind whenever he moved. The pain dulled as he lay there, unable to tell how long it took until he could even raise his head without blacking out from blinding pain. It was dark, the air smelt damp and ripe, filling with nose with a musty scent. The ground beneath him felt hard and rough like stone while the air was still, only the occasional drip sounding through wherever he was. He pulled himself up, falling flat on his back when he found his hands shackled to something, cold steel biting into his wrist as he moved. He sighed, wincing at the pain in his skull as the memories of what had happened came back to him. They had crashed and he had hit his head, the sudden realisation making his heart jump, terror racing through his mind.

"Melody…" He called out weakly, his throat feeling parched, fuzziness still hanging around the edges of his mind and slurring his speech. He struggled in the shackles that held him, his hand brushing a soft cloth behind him. He grabbed at it, blind in the darkness, feeling the flesh and muscles that lay under it.

"Tom…" He said, doing the best he could with his cuffed hands, trying to find Tom's face. He was still unconscious, otherwise he would have reacted the second Michael awoke, as was his mind set. Michael slapped Tom's face slightly with his free hand, trying to shake him awake. "Tom, wake up, come on…". It wasn't long before Tom shifted, his eyes opening unknown to Michael who was still slapping his face in an effort to awaken him. Tom reached up with his free hand and moved Michaels hand away, groaning as he sat up in the darkness, the only thing Michael could hear being the shifting of his clothes.

"It's fine…I'm awake…" He said dispiritedly, pulling at the metal shackle on his arm, sighing when he remembered what had happened and where they must be. "Goddammit, they got us…" Michael sat back against the wall, propping his hands on his knees and dropping his head.

"Do you know who they were?..." He asked, his voice filled with a mixture of pain and dryness, not bothering to look at Tom, knowing it would make little difference. Tom ran a hand through his damp hair, feeling the bruise around his right forehead.

"They were trained…and they were organized too, must've known we were in that building." Tom said, finding it hard to reason in such a situation. "They could be from the army…maybe not the one we met, the national army…perhaps they're private…" Tom at least knew how to reason with private armies and mercenaries, but he wondering if he could pull it off after all the years.

"…Do we even know where we are…and…what happened?" Michael asked, annoyed and angry with the whole situation, fed up of it already.

"You must've not seen, must've blacked out…maybe my head is a bit harder than yours." Tom said, humourlessly, taking a breath as he scanned the room for anything. "We nearly hit them and swerved into a wall…but the street wasn't the one I had turned onto, and one of the soldiers said something about of us 'coming out of nowhere'…I was half conscious for some of the journey, after they had dragged us into their car and took off…all I saw were those large skyscrapers above me." He growled in frustration "It was a bloody distortion or whatever that sodding old man calls it…chose to screw us over at the last minute." Michael leaned his head back against the cool stone of the wall behind him.

"So what do we do?..." he asked, Tom's silence being enough to answer his question. There was no escape from this, at least not right now, but he wondered if this time they had really been done in. The men who held them now were different from the others. Trained and discipline, they were no longer dealing with thugs who would charge you as fast as you could glance at them.

A sudden metallic twisting echoed through the room, the stone walls bouncing it around them, a flood of light coming from the left of the two as metal scrapped against the stone floor. The light blinded them, leaving the figure in the doorway silhouetted against the harsh background, tall and build strongly. He man spoke, almost calmingly, and Tom recoiled at the voice that slid through the air like snake oil.

"You won't be leaving soon…not after the time it took me to find you again…" The man said, the light fading to reveal his full, muscled form. With a head shaved near bald and skin tanned under the unforgiving sun of many a wasteland. "I think we got off on the wrong foot last time…"

"…why…are you so goddamn stubborn!" Tom yelled, knowing that he should very well be dead after what had happened so long ago to him. "Sting…always the one who got the job done…"

"Always…that shrapnel did some nasty work on me…" He said, unzipping the padded vest to reveal a deep and jagged scar in the centre of his chest, a blemish of pink flesh against his brown tone. "But you know how hard it was to kill one of us, you're a testimony to that…"

"How?" Tom demanded, voice strong as if trying to rebuke the demon who stood in front of him.

"You're friend there…doesn't know much about the anatomy of the body, and he calls himself an artist…what I do is art…" He smirked, a venomous smile that could chill a room.

"You know who I am?..." Michael asked, Sting turning his head to look directly into Michaels eyes, faded blue meeting a dead brown.

"I don't kill without knowing my targets…" He said, putting his hands out in a casual gesture. "The chaos in government made it easier to get information on everyone from certain friends…" He turned back to Tom. "But, back to how I died and rose on the third day…" Sting seemed to have no qualms mocking the peaceful profession Tom had taken up after his dark career.

"I couldn't fight like that, but I could live, the heart is on the left side, not the centre…" He said, drawing a finger over the scar. "I managed to stop the bleeding enough for me to find my way back to the vehicle I had picked up…I drove for half an hour with a jagged piece of metal hanging from my torso, until I found the army setting up another roadblock. They thought I was a civilian, and treated me there. While I was there, I heard they had found something, something related to the things happening around the world. I managed to secure some weaponry, particulary the knife they gave me to eat rations with, bad idea on their part. I hid under one of the covered benches in their transport van. I heard it before I saw it, you know the sound, that whistling and roaring in the air…" he smiled, a macabre grin as he recalled the next part. "The soldiers filed out, but the last one was young, slow and new to the service. I killed him, slit his neck right from behind, then killed the rest with his own weapon before they could even think about what had happened. The driver survived, I made sure of that, but he wasn't eager to chase me into that portal. Do you know how it feels to go through one of those things? It feels like you're king of everything, you can go anywhere and kill anyone. So…I arrived, but not where I hoped, more specifically in that region they called Hoenn. Civil war had broken out, which was prefect for me, letting me make my mark to present to the two clients who became interested in me…after I shot one of their high ranking officers, his Pokémon too. After that, I was practically in command of their movements, and after seeing my results, the officers decided it was best not to object to what I said, it never ended well for anyone…"

"Are those men who took us Aqua, or Magma?..." Michael said, oddly finding his voice in the situation. The names meant so little and so much to him. He didn't care who they were, but after what had happened to Melody and Valerie, they sparked something in him. A fear that was followed by anger and primal rage, making him want to get rid of them just to be safe again.

"They're not either of those little gangs, they're marines…" he said with a proud smirk. "Walked right into our camp when we were assaulting Rustboro, and I knew the man leading them had something he wanted done, something he needed…so I talked to them. Idiots had been sent into one of the portals by that equally stupid government, and it had closed right behind them. Of course they had no problem with helping us…in fact they though if it would help them get the rioting under control so they weren't a 'threat to national security'…idiots still thought their country meant something here!" He laughed, unafraid of anyone hearing his words. None exactly had the courage to stand up to him. "I sent men to capture that temple on the road to Treefort, it would've made a great place to round up people on the road…then you came along. I heard about you from one of the men who fled that camp, after the officer of that group was killed. You went back to Treefort, obvious move, then you fled somewhere across the mainland..."

"How did you know we would come here?..." Tom spat. Although Sting was killed, clairvoyance was beyond him.

"I didn't." he said simply. "You were headed to the mainland, and that gave me an excuse to capture this city. More of our men are coming soon, and when we have the number, we'll simply exterminate the armed forced that have set up that perimeter. It wasn't hard to make our way in here, and it's only going to be easier getting out…"

"What's so special about this city? It's destroyed!" Tom said, none of this making sense. Why would he come here if it wasn't for him, why would he occupy a destroyed city with no resources, why was he still alive?

"It's almost destroyed…" He said smugly, leaning right down to Tom's level and meeting his face. "You know about these portals , don't you? You know about what would happen if this one closes, don't you?...there's something protecting it, Tom." Tom spat into Stings face, hating him for even using his name. Sting didn't move, not even a twitch. "You're just a bonus, him too, and those two Pokémon…I'm told they're rare, so they might make some money, or we could use them as target practice if no one buys their sorry hides…" Sting suddenly jerked to the side, Michaels foot impacting on his face, mild surprise and amusement on his face as he took a step back. He straightened up, looking at Michael expectantly. "Have some fight in you?"

"Kill me and kill everyone here, kill this entire worthless region, but if they die…" Michael raised his head, his dishevelled hair running like rivulets down his face, staring at the man above him with only his desperation and anger to fuel his courage. "God help you if they die…" Sting looked amused for a moment, contemplating the threat. The agile man took a step forward and drove his boot into Michael's face, a loud crack echoing through the chamber as his head met the stone wall.

"Leave him out of this!" Tom yelled, Sting giving one more kick to accentuate his point as he turned to Tom.

"An eye for an eye, isn't that one of your proverbs you learnt, preacher man?" He taunted, making a start towards Tom, fist meeting Tom's face in an instant. "Your hands are the hands of murderers, and your fingers are filthy with sin. Your lips are full of lies, and your mouth spews corruption! Isn't that one of your verses? You're as evil as me, you try to hide it but it always comes back!" Sting would have been throwing Tom around the cell if it were not for the shackles that kept Tom pinned to the wall. A single soldier, dressed just as the ones who had assaulted their hideout only hours before, appeared in the doorway, speaking loudly to be heard over Sting's laughter and rambling.

"S-Sir! The commander needs to see you!" He stuttered, speaking clearly like a trained solider, voice solid if not a little nervous. Sting drew himself back up, leaving Tom on his side, bleeding from his nose. "H-He may have found what you wanted…" Sting looked down at Tom almost disappointedly, walking out of the door, shoving the soldier aside.

"I'll have some fun later…" He called, laughing darkly as the soldier closed the door behind him, looking at the two captors with a hint of relief, turning and following Sting down the hall.

Tom lay on the ground, his nose feeling hot from what was sure was a break, Michael leaning back against the wall of the cell, his head swimming from the blow, threatening to plunge him into unconsciousness again. They did not know where they were or what time it was, they could not even see their own prison, the only light coming from the small slit in the doorway, showcasing two pathetic looking men on the verge of collapse, no energy left for this world, surrounded by lonely darkness.


End file.
